Description
A budget-friendly, hearty, and creamy chicken and wild rice soup that is perfect for busy weeknights. It uses simple pantry ingredients and leftover rotisserie chicken for a comforting meal that feeds a family for under $15.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1 cup green beans, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Chop onion, dice carrots and celery, mince garlic, and shred chicken if using raw breasts (poach first).
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
- Add wild rice blend and stir to coat in butter and veggies. Pour in chicken broth, add bay leaf and thyme stems.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until rice is tender and soup thickens.
- Stir in shredded chicken and fresh thyme leaves. If using heavy cream, stir it in now.
- Heat through for 2-3 minutes until chicken is warm. Remove bay leaf.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with fresh parsley or extra thyme if desired.
Notes
Wild rice takes longer to cook than white rice, so simmer low and slow. If the soup is too thick, add broth or water. If too salty, add a diced potato and simmer for 10 minutes. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or skip the cream. Fresh thyme is preferred over dried for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: chicken soup, wild rice soup, budget meal, family dinner, comfort food, easy soup, weeknight dinner, rotisserie chicken recipe