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Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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Hearty and creamy slow cooker soup with tender chicken, wild rice, and vegetables. Perfect comfort food that’s incredibly easy to make with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ pounds chicken breasts
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 8–10 cups chicken broth (low sodium recommended)
  • 1 cup wild rice (not a boxed mix)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • ¼ cup flour (gluten free will work as well)
  • ½ cup half and half
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. Dice onion, chop carrots and celery into bite-sized pieces, and mince garlic cloves. This takes about 10 minutes.
  2. Place chicken breasts at the bottom of slow cooker for even cooking. Season with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add onion, carrots, and celery on top.
  3. Pour 8 cups chicken broth over ingredients. Add uncooked wild rice and bay leaf, stir gently to distribute, then cover with lid.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until rice is tender and split open (grains will look puffed) and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
  5. Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with two forks. Chicken should fall apart easily. Return shredded chicken to soup and stir.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, milk, and half and half until smooth with no lumps. With crockpot still on low heat, slowly pour mixture into soup while stirring continuously until creamy. Add more broth ½ cup at a time if too thick.
  7. Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with crusty bread and fresh parsley.

Notes

  • Use low-sodium broth so you can control salt levels. Season to taste at the end when flavors have concentrated.
  • Use pure wild rice, not boxed mixes. It holds up better during long cooking and provides authentic texture.
  • Cooking on low is recommended for best results. High heat may make rice mushy and chicken tough. If cooking on high, reduce time to 3-4 hours.
  • Soup thickens as it sits because rice absorbs liquid. Add extra broth when reheating to restore desired consistency.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld together. Can be made ahead for meal prep.
  • For stovetop method: Brown chicken first, add all ingredients except cream, simmer 45-60 minutes until rice is tender, then finish with cream mixture.

Nutrition

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