Description
A creamy, comforting fall‑style soup with wild rice, vegetables, chicken, and warm spices
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy‑free version)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup dry sherry (optional)
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (for garnish)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the wild rice: combine rinsed wild rice with 4 cups of chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45–50 minutes (or until tender and grains have split). Add more broth if it dries out, then drain excess liquid and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook 5–7 minutes until softened and onion translucent. Add mushrooms and cook another 5–7 minutes until they release moisture.
- Add aromatics: stir in garlic, dried thyme, sage, rosemary, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook ~1 minute until fragrant (do not burn garlic).
- Simmer the soup: pour remaining 4 cups chicken broth into the pot. Add cooked wild rice and shredded chicken. Bring to simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 30 to 60 minutes (longer for deeper flavor), stirring occasionally.
- Finish: stir in heavy cream (or coconut milk) and dry sherry (if using). Add chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through gently without boiling.
- Serve: ladle into bowls. Garnish with toasted nuts and grated Parmesan (if using). Serve immediately.
Notes
- Vegetarian option: use vegetable broth and omit chicken; add beans (e.g. cannellini or chickpeas) for protein.
- Add extra vegetables like diced sweet potato, butternut squash, or kale.
- For more heat, increase red pepper flakes or add hot sauce.
- Make ahead: the soup often tastes better the next day; it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: after cooling, transfer to freezer‑safe containers; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Try different mushrooms (shiitake, oyster) for variation.
- Brighten flavors by squeezing in a bit of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
- For a thicker consistency, blend part of the soup (before adding cream) with an immersion blender.
