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Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Fall Soup

cozy slow cooker chicken and wild rice fall soup - featured image
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A hearty, comforting slow cooker soup with tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and vegetables in a savory broth. Perfect for fall and winter, this easy dump-and-go recipe is a hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice (not a blend), rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 6 sprigs fresh)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep the vegetables: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into roughly equal-sized pieces. Mince the garlic.
  2. Rinse the wild rice: Place the wild rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 30 seconds. Shake off excess water.
  3. Layer the ingredients: Place the diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the rinsed wild rice on top, then nestle the chicken into the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth over everything. Add the dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Give it a gentle stir.
  4. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. (Low setting is preferred for best texture.)
  5. Shred the chicken: About 30 minutes before serving, use tongs to remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Place on a cutting board and shred with two forks. If still tough, cook another 30 minutes.
  6. Return the chicken: Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. If using heavy cream, pour it in now and stir gently. Let cook for another 15-20 minutes to heat through.
  7. Finish and serve: Remove bay leaves (and any thyme sprigs). Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

For best texture, cook on LOW. Don’t lift the lid during cooking. Add cream at the end to prevent curdling. Soup thickens as it sits; add extra broth when reheating if needed. Freezes well without cream.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken soup, wild rice soup, fall soup, chicken and wild rice, cozy soup, easy slow cooker recipe

Find it online: https://cookyep.com/cozy-slow-cooker-chicken-and-wild-rice-fall-soup/