Description
A creamy, comforting slow‑cooker soup of shredded chicken, vegetables, and wild rice in a rich broth.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp parsley
- ¼ cup all‑purpose flour
- ½ cup half‑and‑half
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dice onion; slice carrots and celery; mince garlic.
- Place chicken breasts in the base of the slow cooker. Sprinkle garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper over the meat. Add onion, carrots, and celery on top.
- Pour in chicken broth, add uncooked wild rice and the bay leaf. Cover.
- Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours (or on HIGH for 3–4 hours) until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Once the chicken reaches ~165 °F (74 °C), remove it from the cooker, shred it, and return the shredded meat to the soup.
- In a separate bowl or small saucepan, whisk together the flour, half‑and‑half, and milk until smooth (no lumps).
- Slowly pour the creamy mixture into the slow cooker while stirring, and allow the soup to simmer for another 10–15 minutes to thicken. Adjust consistency with extra broth or milk as needed.
- Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper). Serve hot, perhaps with fresh parsley garnish or crusty bread.
Notes
- Cooking on LOW yields better texture; HIGH setting may risk overcooking or mushy rice. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- If using leftover or rotisserie chicken, add it in at the end (omit first step). :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Wild rice holds up better than regular rice in slow cooking; avoid parboiled blends. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- The soup thickens as it sits; when reheating, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen it up. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- For gluten‑free version, use a gluten‑free flour or cornstarch for thickening. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (≈1/8 recipe)
- Calories: 272 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 352 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
