Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is one of the best bowls of soup I’ve had in a long time! It has tender chicken, hearty wild rice, savory mushrooms, a creamy broth that’s rich but not heavy (thanks to coconut milk), and blended white beans, which create a velvety texture without relying on dairy.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice or wild rice blend all wild rice has more flavor
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 heaping cups shiitake cremini, and/or white button mushrooms, stems reserved and caps chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups plain unsweetened plant milk almond, cashew or soy milk (I prefer a richer milk like soy)
- 1 ½ cups or 1 15-oz can white beans such as great northern or cannellini, drained
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable, or mushroom stock
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- Handful of collard greens kale or other tender greens, chopped
Instructions
- Place wild rice, water and a pinch of salt in a 2 qt saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until rice is cooked or follow package instructions. If you use soaked wild rice, it should be ready in about 20-30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.
- While the rice is cooking, heat up a 5 qt pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to warm through and add the chicken pieces in one layer. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook until the chicken is golden brown on both sides. Don’t worry if the chicken is not fully cooked at this point. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken if it didn’t all fit at once.
- To the same pot, add a bit more oil if it looks dry and add the onion, garlic, and diced mushrooms. Sauté them for 5 to 7 minutes until they start to brown. Add the parsley, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
- To a blender, add the milk, white beans and mushroom stems and blend until smooth.
- In the pot with the vegetables, add the chicken stock, white bean and mushroom blend, browned chicken and any juices that accumulated while sitting on the plate, cooked wild rice, and coconut milk.
- Bring the soup to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes. Remove the soup from heat. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite size pieces. Stir in the fresh tender greens and stir until wilted. Taste for seasoning and serve. The soup will thicken further the longer it sits.
Notes
- Add whole thyme sprigs to the soup as it simmers - the leaves will fall off as it cooks. Just be sure to remove the stems before serving.
- Omit the chicken and swap in cooked white beans, frozen peas, or tofu for a vegan version. Use vegetable or mushroom stock for extra flavor.
- The soup thickens as it sits, so when reheating leftovers, add more stock or water to loosen it up.
- Serve this hearty soup with a loaf of crusty bread or a side salad, and you’ve got a complete meal that everyone will love.
- Top with freshly grated lemon zest just before serving.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 - 5 days.
- To freeze, let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.