Warm up to this Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup. This comforting soup is rich, hearty, and satisfying. It’s packed with tender chicken, flavorful rice, and fresh vegetables and cooked in a creamy broth - all in one pot for a complete and healthy meal.
You will love the rich texture, unique flavors, and creamy goodness of this delicious soup. It’s one of those comfort foods perfect for chilly days.
And the best part is it’s done in one pot, which means minimal cleanup. This easy Instant Pot chicken soup starts with sauteeing fresh veggies directly in the pot and finishes off with a simple slurry to thicken the soup.
It calls for simple ingredients, yet those with bold flavors. Ready to make this healthy chicken rice soup? Let’s get started.
What you need to know
Quick notes: This soup does require a few steps and comes with a slightly longer ingredient list, but it’s totally worth it.
Cook time: From start to finish, this soup will take about an hour to make. But…
Yields: The good news is that this recipe makes a generous amount. Enough to feed a small crowd or have plenty of leftovers the following day.
Makes great leftovers: And reheats beautifully.
Why you'll love this recipe
Taste: Major comfort food; packed with different flavors and textures.
Filling: This is a hearty soup (thank you, broth, chicken, and rice!), which means it will keep you fuller longer.
Versatile: Enjoy as is with a piece of crusty bread or pair it with a side salad for a complete meal.
💭Make it Nutrient-Dense: There are several things you can do to make this soup nourishing. First, soak your rice to release the phytic acid. Second, ensure you’re using the best quality chicken broth. And lastly, source good quality pastured butter and organic produce as budget allows.
Ingredients
Although the ingredient list to this soup recipe can seem a little lengthy - stick with me. I promise, it’s easier than you think, and the result is a delicious, hearty, welcoming gift in a pot.
- Wild rice blend - I prefer a Lundberg blend of wild rice, black rice, red rice, long-grain brown rice, and sweet brown rice. It gives an amazing texture to the soup. You can soak the rice blend for up to 12 hours for better digestibility but if you skip soaking, just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
- Chicken - boneless skinless chicken thighs are best, but you can use chicken breasts if that's your preference
- Vegetables - yellow onion, celery, carrots, and white mushrooms
- Aromatics - fresh garlic, dried thyme, marjoram, rosemary
- Bone broth - I make a big batch of chicken broth and always have some on hand in the refrigerator
- Whole milk and half and half
- Flour - or arrowroot starch for gluten-free to create a slurry to thicken the soup
- Unsalted butter - or another healthy cooking fat like olive oil or tallow
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
💭Pro tip: Out of half and half? You can make it at home yourself. Using a one-to-one ratio, combine milk and cream together to make half-and-half.
What is the best rice?
Chicken wild rice soup is traditionally made with wild rice, long and slender grains with a dark brown and black outer layer. They have a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor when cooked.
However, I prefer a wild rice blend, which includes other rice grains like brown rice and red rice. As a result, this gives a variety of textures and complements the other flavors in the soup well.
Before starting the recipe, decide if you will be soaking the rice. This step is optional but produces rice that is better for digestibility.
Here’s how to do it: First, cover wild rice fully and generously with water in a medium bowl. Next, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help release the phytic acid in the rice and stir to combine.
Afterward, place in a warm place for a few hours or overnight for best results. Then drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse before adding it to the recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The complete printable recipe with detailed instructions is in the recipe card below for your convenience.
This Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup recipe calls for wild rice, chicken, butter, yellow onion, celery, carrots, white mushrooms, garlic cloves, dried thyme, dried marjoram, dried rosemary, chicken bone broth, chicken thighs, flour or gluten-free starch, whole milk, and half and half. You’ll also need a pressure cooker like Instant Pot.
Step 1. Saute vegetables
First, press the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot and give it a few minutes to warm up. While it’s preheating, dice carrots, celery, and onions.
Add butter to the Instant Pot inner pot. Next, add the diced vegetables and cook until tender and the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
Step 2. Add aromatics
Push the cooked vegetables towards the edge of the pot, creating a well in the center. Then, add sliced mushrooms to the center and cook for 5 minutes until juices release.
Finally, add minced garlic and herbs and stir to combine. Turn off the saute function.
💭Pro tip: If food gets stuck during the saute function, add a little bit of chicken stock or broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot and scrape off the bits with a spatula.
Step 3. Cook
Add wild rice and bone broth and give it a quick stir. Next, place chicken thighs on top of the rice. Secure the lid, and set the safety valve to the sealing position. Finally, press “Manual” and adjust the cook time to 10 minutes.
Step 4. Release pressure
Once the cooking cycle has been completed, do a natural pressure release of 10 minutes followed by quick pressure release by turning the safety valve to the venting position to do a quick release of the remaining pressure.
💭Pro tip: Even though the cooking time is only 10 minutes, give your Instant Pot time to come to pressure. Generally, a recipe with a lot of liquid will take another 12-16 minutes to come to pressure
Step 5. Remove chicken
When the pressure has fully released, and it is safe to do so, open the lid and remove the chicken with a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon. Transfer to a cutting board or a shallow dish, then shred into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Step 6. Make slurry
Press the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot again. Meanwhile, make a slurry in a small bowl or ramekin by combining the flour with ½ cup of milk. Add this mixture to the pot, stirring often. Lastly, add half and half and shredded chicken back to the pot. Stir well and turn off the heat.
Finish off with a light seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot with crusty bread.
Helpful Tips
- Avoid the burn warning: ensure the inner pot is clear of any stuck bits before adding the rice and broth. If there are some stuck parts after sauteing vegetables, add a little bit of broth to deglaze and remove the bits with a spatula.
- Use leftover chicken: No raw chicken? Add leftover roasted chicken towards the end when you add the slurry to heat it through.
Helpful Tools & Links
Below are some affiliate links that may be helpful to you as you make this recipe. However, you can find some of these items cheaper at your local store but it helps to have a link so you know what you're looking for.
- Tools: chef knife, cutting board, Instant Pot
- Ingredients: real salt, wild rice blend
- Storage Supplies: glass snap containers
Serving Suggestions
This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is amazing on its own. The perfect blend of textured rice, protein-rich broth and chicken, and vibrant vegetables makes this soup a satiating and hearty meal.
Enjoy with a sprig of thyme, Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper, and dig in with sourdough bread for a total comfort food feel.
Chicken Wild Rice Soup pairing suggestions
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store: Leftover chicken wild rice soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Storage containers: Try these glass snap containers for storing leftovers.
To reheat: Transfer wild rice soup to a small saucepan with a lid and reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring often. However, if the soup is too thick, add a few tablespoons of liquid like bone broth, milk, or water to thin it out.
FAQs
Soaking rice is better for digestion and nutrient bioavailability. Furthermore, soaking allows enzymes and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. Soak wild rice blend for 4-12 hours in plenty of room temperature water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or another acid. Then, strain the rice and rinse it under running water.
Cooking rice before adding it to the soup is not necessary. Moreover, it’s best to use uncooked rice, so it soaks up all the flavor of the broth, spices, and vegetables.
Depending on the gelatin content of your broth, it’s possible that your soup may become too thick. You can thin it out by adding a little bit of liquid, like additional broth, milk, or water until you reach the desired consistency.
Looking for more Instant Pot soup recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this? Please leave a ⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend rinsed well; see notes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter avocado oil or olive oil can be used
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced approximately 1 small-medium onion
- 1 cup celery, diced approximately 3 celery ribs
- 1 cup carrots, diced approximately 2 medium carrots
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced approximately 2 large garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 quarts chicken broth, bone broth, or chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour or arrowroot flour for gluten-free
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
Instructions
- Saute veggies: Press the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot and give it a few minutes to warm up. While it’s preheating, dice carrots, celery, and onions. Add butter to the Instant Pot inner pot. Add the diced vegetables and cook until tender and the onions are translucent approximately 5 minutes.
- Add aromatics: Push the sauteed vegetables towards the edge of the pot, creating a well in the center. Add sliced mushrooms to the center and cook for 5 minutes, just until juices start to release. Add minced garlic and herbs and stir to combine. Turn off the saute function.
- Cook: Add wild rice and bone broth and give it a quick stir. Place chicken thighs on top of the rice. Secure the lid, and set the safety valve to the sealing position. Press “Manual” and adjust the cook time to 10 minutes.
- Release pressure: Once the cooking cycle has been completed, do a natural pressure release of 10 minutes followed by quick pressure release by turning the safety valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure quickly.
- Remove chicken: When the pressure has fully released, and it is safe to do so, open the lid and remove the chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon. Transfer to a cutting board or a shallow dish, then shred into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Thicken soup: Press the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot again. Make a slurry in a small bowl or ramekin by combining the flour with ½ cup of milk. Add this mixture to the pot, stirring often. Add half and half and shredded chicken back to the pot. Stir well and turn off the heat.
- Garnish and serve: Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
- Notes on wild rice blend: you can soak the rice up to 12 hours. Cover rice fully with water in a medium bowl. Place in a warm place for a few hours or overnight. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse well before adding it to the recipe. Reduce cooking time by 3 minutes.
- Avoid burn notice: If food gets stuck during the saute function, add a little bit of chicken stock or broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot and scrape off the bits with a spatula.
- No half and half: You can make it at home yourself. Using a one-to-one ratio, combine milk and cream together to make half-and-half.
- Use leftover chicken: If you don't want to use raw chicken, feel free to use leftover roasted chicken. Add it towards the end when you add the slurry to heat it through.
- Leftovers: Wild rice soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Transfer wild rice soup to a small saucepan with a lid and reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring often. If the soup is too thick, add a few tablespoons of liquid like bone broth, milk, or water to thin it out.
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