Description
This Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. It combines tender wild rice, sautéed mushrooms, and shredded chicken in a rich, creamy broth thickened with a homemade roux and enhanced with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for a luscious finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup wild rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Roux (Thickening Agent)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
Finishing Touches
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat butter: In a large pot, heat the butter over medium heat until it melts.
- Sauté onion: Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Cook mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes until they release moisture and become tender.
- Incorporate wild rice: Stir in the wild rice, coating it with the butter and vegetable mixture.
- Add chicken broth and boil: Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer rice: Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until wild rice is tender.
- Prepare roux: In a separate small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Cook flour: Add flour to the oil and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes until slightly golden.
- Add half-and-half: Gradually pour half-and-half into the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
- Thicken cream mixture: Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
- Add seasonings and chicken: Stir cooked chicken, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper into the soup pot.
- Combine roux mixture with soup: Pour the thickened cream mixture into the soup, stirring thoroughly.
- Simmer soup: Let the soup simmer an additional 5-7 minutes to meld flavors.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
- Add Parmesan cheese: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated.
- Finish with parsley: Remove soup from heat and stir in chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken leftover or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Wild rice can take a while to cook; ensure it is tender before proceeding to the next steps.
- If preferred, substitute half-and-half with heavy cream or whole milk for a different texture.
- For a thicker soup, increase the flour slightly in the roux.
- Fresh thyme can be used instead of dried; adjust quantities accordingly.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and also freeze well.
