Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
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.
Servings 8 servings
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 978mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3062IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg