Name: creamy chicken & wild rice soup
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 5 bacon slices, roughly chopped ((about 5 ounces)); 1 cup chopped onion; 1 cup thinly sliced carrot; 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms ((baby bellas)); 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 32-ounce carton chicken stock ((4 cups)); 1 cup water; 4 cups lightly packed chopped baby spinach or curly kale ((about 5 ounces)); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken or turkey breast ((about 6 ounces)); 1 8-ounce package precooked wild rice and/or brown rice ((for gluten-free, check package for GF certified)); 1 cup half-and-half ((or whole milk)); 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour ((about 1.5 ounces))

Imagine the flavor of your favorite chicken pot pie in a bowl. Thanks to a few shortcuts, this awesome pot of Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup can be ready to feed your hungry crew in less than an hour. It’s true.

The recipe calls for shredded rotisserie chicken breast but you can always switch things up by using some of that leftover turkey breast you may have on hand. I guess it would then be creamy turkey soup, but that’s okay. Still sounds good.

This is designed to be a timesaving recipe, but don’t be tempted to use precooked bacon.

The veggies are sauteed in some of the rendered bacon fat and you don’t want to miss out on that added flavor.

Be sure to cut your carrots and celery into thin slices, so they cook through by the time the pot of soup is done.

While they are sautéing along with the chopped onion, prep the next group of ingredients …the thyme, mushrooms & garlic. If you have access to presliced mushrooms, go for it.

Heat your soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the bacon to cook for four minutes or until crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Reserve about one tablespoon bacon drippings in the pot.

Add the onion, carrot and celery to the drippings in the pot.
Sauté for three minutes.
Add the thyme, mushrooms, and garlic.
Sauté for five minutes.
Add the chicken stock along with one cup water.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for eight minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Add the spinach, salt and pepper.
Cook for three minutes.
Stir in the chicken and rice.

Using precooked chicken and rice is a huge timesaver. If you can find precooked wild rice, that would be a good option. Especially one that is certified Non-GMO without the current bio-engineered ingredients. Then again, maybe you have some leftover rice in the fridge?

Keep in mind, though that if you need to make this soup gluten-free, be cautious as to what rice you choose to use. Many of the pre-cooked varieties very likely will contain gluten.

Combine half & half and flour in a bowl.
For a lighter version, replace the half & half with milk.
Mix with a whisk until smooth.
Stir the mixture into the soup.
Cook for two minutes or until thickened.

Do you need to make your Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup gluten-free?

It’s easy to achieve with a swap of flour to your preferred gluten-free variety. If using pre-cooked rice, check the label to be sure it’s certified to be gluten-free.

Remember that crispy bacon you set aside earlier? Now is the time to use it.

Sprinkled on top of each serving – your creation is complete.

Check for seasoning – add salt and pepper to taste.
Top with bacon crumbles and enjoy.

5 from 2 votes

creamy chicken & wild rice soup

Adapted from Cooking Light

Imagine the flavor of your favorite chicken pot-pie ...only in a bowl.

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

5 bacon slices, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 32-ounce carton chicken stock (4 cups)
1 cup water
4 cups lightly packed chopped baby spinach or curly kale (about 5 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken or turkey breast (about 6 ounces)
1 8-ounce package precooked wild rice and/or brown rice (for gluten-free, check package for GF certified)
1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour (about 1.5 ounces)

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add bacon to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in pan.
Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes. Add stock and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach, salt, and pepper; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and rice.
Combine half-and-half and flour in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir into soup; cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Check for seasoning; add salt and pepper to taste. Top with bacon.

Recipe Notes

For gluten-free - Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour. Check the precooked rice packaging for GF Certified label.

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