Description
This comforting Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup combines tender chicken, nutty wild rice, fresh vegetables, and crisp bacon in a rich, creamy broth. Perfect for chilly days, this hearty soup features a delicious balance of flavors with sautéed mushrooms, fresh thyme, and a splash of white wine for depth. It’s an ideal make-ahead meal that warms the soul and satisfies the hunger.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bacon
- 6 bacon slices, cut into ¼-inch lardons
- 3 chicken breasts (or 3 cups rotisserie chicken meat)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 2 medium stalks celery, cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces fresh button mushrooms, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Liquids and Others
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup wild rice, uncooked
- 1¼ cups homemade cream of mushroom soup (or 1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup semi-dry or dry white wine (Chardonnay recommended)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, if needed for sautéing)
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon: Add the bacon lardons to a cold Dutch oven and set the heat to medium. Cook until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Remove Excess Fat: Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot. Refrigerate the excess bacon fat for future use once it cools.
- Prepare the Chicken: If using raw chicken breasts, season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the breasts in the heated Dutch oven and cook without turning for 2-3 minutes to develop a nice sear. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 150°F. Remove and cover with foil. (Skip this step if using rotisserie chicken.)
- Sauté Vegetables: Turn heat to medium. Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil if needed. Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add Mushrooms and Aromatics: Stir in garlic, mushrooms, and chopped thyme leaves. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant and soft.
- Deglaze with Wine: Slowly pour in the white wine while scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits, enhancing the soup’s flavor.
- Add Broth and Rice: Pour in chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil. Add uncooked wild rice and return to a boil.
- Simmer Soup: Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing rice to cook through.
- Prepare Chicken: While soup simmers, cut cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Add Cream Soup and Chicken: Stir in cream of mushroom soup, chopped chicken, and half the reserved cooked bacon. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until rice is tender and soup is thickened to your liking.
- Season to Taste: Adjust salt and pepper seasoning as needed.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with remaining crispy bacon, and serve with crusty bread slices.
- Enjoy: Relish this warm, creamy bowl of chicken and wild rice soup.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds extra flavor.
- Wild rice takes longer to cook than white rice; soaking for a few hours can reduce cooking time.
- Reserve bacon fat for future cooking to enhance flavor in other dishes.
- For a thicker soup, allow it to simmer longer or add a slurry of cornstarch and water.
- Substitute cream of mushroom soup with homemade béchamel sauce mixed with sautéed mushrooms for a fresher taste.
- Chardonnay adds a nice acidity and complements the mushrooms and chicken well.
