Creamy and comforting, this Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup tastes like it came from your favorite cafe or your grandma’s kitchen. It’s the kind of recipe that takes a titch of extra love, but it’s so worth it! With colder temperatures in the air, you’ll want to make sure this soup is on the top of your meal plan for Fall. Since we’re on the topic of soups have you tried my Thick and Creamy Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup?
The inspiration for this Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup came from a church luncheon I was asked to help with way, way back when Thatcher was a baby. They gave people assignments, and mine was to make a batch of Chicken Wild Rice Soup. The original recipe didn’t call for mushrooms, but I’d had a similar recipe once with mushrooms in it and loved it. So it was a no-brainer for me to add in mushrooms when I made it later for my family. Sooooo good! It totally adds another layer of flavor that makes the soup even more delicious.
If you’re not a mushroom fan, no biggie. Leave them out, and the soup will still taste awesome. If you’ve got kids who will freak out when they see the mushrooms, put them through your food processor so they’re tiny and invisible in the soup but still give it the delicious taste.
More must make soups:
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Kale and Sausage Soup
- Award Winning Chili
- Thick and Creamy Potato Ham Soup
How to make chicken and mushroom wild rice soup
Frequently asked questions about Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Does it matter what kind of wild rice I use?
The woman that I got the original recipe from said to use wild rice that was not mixed in any way with other types of rice. Unfortunately, I cannot find plain wild rice in Germany. I’ve been using a Rice-A-Roni wild rice mix, and it’s been awesome! I like the flavor the extra seasoning in the packet gives to the soup. There are other brands of wild rice side dish options. Any of them should work fine. Just prepare it according to the package instructions before adding it to the soup.
if i don’t have evaporated milk, can i use regular milk?
Yes. I would suggest whole milk or even half-and-half, if you have it. It really helps the soup stay nice and creamy.
what kind of chicken stock/broth is best to use in soups?
This question really depends on your personal taste. A broth is typically going to have a saltier taste than a stock, but broths are usually much less expensive. If you’re using a rotisserie chicken, you can take the meat off the bones. Boil the bones in 8-10 cups of water for 20-30 minutes or follow my easy Instant Pot Chicken Stock recipe. To be honest, more often than not I’m in a hurry, so I use chicken bouillon and water.
what type of mushroom should i use for this recipe?
White Button or Cremini Mushrooms (brown mushrooms that look like a White Button mushroom). Also, just to make sure it’s clear, use fresh mushrooms in this recipe–not canned.
cAN I LEAVE THE CHICKEN OUT OF THIS RECIPE?
Yes, definitely. If you do, I suggest adding a second 8 oz container of mushrooms.
- 1½ cups small diced onions
- 1 8 oz container of fresh mushrooms
- 3 carrots, peeled and small diced
- 3 stalks of celery thinly sliced
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth or stock
- 2 cups water
- 2-3 cups cooked chicken breast/rotisserie chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1 package wild Rice-A-Roni, prepared according to package directions
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- In alarge soup pot over medium high heat, saute the mushrooms, onions, carrots and celery with the ½ cup butter until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper while veggies are sauteing.
- When veggies are tender, start stirring in the flour, adding ¼ cup at a time, mixing well with each addition.
- When flour is all added, quickly begin pouring in the chicken stock and water as you stir continuously, adding 1-2 cups at a time.
- Once all the chicken stock and water is added, the soup needs to come up to ta boil to thicken. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When soup has thickened, add the cooked Rice-A-Roni and chicken. Mix well. Then add the can of evaporated milk. Taste soup and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- If served immediately, the soup will be a perfect creamy consistency. If not served immediately, you made need to add a little bit of milk when you reheat it. Otherwise, it will be a really thick stew-like soup.
- Tastes great with bread or rolls.
- Enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious! I did cut the salt in half (probably could have omitted all together), added a few extra carrots and celery, and omitted the milk. This is just the perfect Fall Soup I was looking for! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Thank You so much Karen, I am so glad you liked it! It’s one of our new favorites!