Can I Tell You About This Soup?

Okay, full disclosure: every time the air starts to get that November dampness, this creamy crockpot chicken wild rice soup is basically the first thing that pops in my head. My sister and I used to make a version of it in college—except, way back then, we could barely afford paprika, so a lot of stuff got substituted. Once, we used cooked leftover turkey and my goldfish crackers as topping. Not fancy, but hey, it was edible and oddly satisfying. Anyway, these days, I’ve (sort of) figured out a version that works. My kids call it “the chicken stew that fixes Mondays”—which, in my book, is reason alone to keep making it.

Why You’ll Love This Soup (Or, Why I Keep Making It)

I make this creamy soup when I just want something hearty after a long, cold walk or, let’s be real, a day when my brain is fried from work. My family kind of loses their minds for this (especially with fresh bread on the side; they’re picky about bread and who can blame them?), and honestly, it’s almost impossible to mess up—which is saying something, because I tend to wander off mid-recipe. Plus, you just chuck stuff in the crockpot and let it go. No standing over the stove like a nervous mother hen. Oh, and if you hate chopping onions as much as I do, you’ll appreciate how forgiving this recipe is. (I may or may not have used frozen onions once. Didn’t tell anyone, soup still disappeared.)

Here’s What You’ll Need (Substitutes for Real Life!)

2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs—I actually like thighs more, but use what you’ve got. Or, leftover roast chicken. No one notices.)
1 cup wild rice blend (my grandmother swore by Uncle Ben’s, but I just grab whatever’s on sale, or even throw in some brown rice if that’s all that’s left at the back of the cupboard!)
3 medium carrots, chopped (I use baby carrots and just rough chop, because peeling carrots is my least favorite chore)
2 ribs celery, sliced (to be honest, I skip this if we’re out and nobody’s sad)
1 medium onion, diced—or cheat and use half a bag of frozen diced onions, I promise it works
3–4 cloves garlic, minced (jarred garlic is absolutely okay—no judgement)
6 cups chicken broth—homemade is nice but boxed works as well, just don’t use the extra-salty kind unless you love salt
1 tsp dried thyme (or Italian seasoning if you’re feeling wild—or forgot to buy thyme)
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper (all to taste; I go heavy on pepper, but you do you)
1/2 cup heavy cream (sometimes I use half-and-half or a splash of milk in a pinch)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for thickening—if gluten free is needed, skip and let it be brothy)
1–2 tbsp olive oil or butter (optional; only if you want to sauté your veg, but really not needed for crockpot)
Optional: handful chopped mushrooms, a sprinkle of parsley, squeeze of lemon, or a leftover potato (don’t tell my dad I suggested that, he’s an old-school purist)

Let’s Make Some Soup: Directions (Casual But It Works)

First, toss your chicken (raw or even cooked, doesn’t matter all that much) into the bottom of your trusty crockpot. Don’t stress about chopping it up—pulling it apart later is honestly the fun bit.
Throw in your carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice blend, and whatever extras you’re feeling. Don’t bother sautéing unless you’re feeling fancy; straight in is how I do it 97% of the time. (Sometimes, if I’m bored, I’ll brown them in a pan, but that’s just unnecessary dishes, right?)
Pour over the broth. Sprinkle in the thyme, salt, and pepper. Give everything a little stir—not too vigorously, or you’ll slosh, and that never ends well for me.
Put the lid on, set it on low, and let it cook for 7–8 hours. High is okay if you’re impatient, but lower really does make the rice nice.
About 30 minutes before you want to eat, fish out the chicken with a couple forks, shred it (seriously, two forks makes you feel like a pro, and it’s kind of fun), and toss it back in.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and flour until there’s no lumps (truth: I sometimes have small lumps, it still tastes good). Stir that right into the soup. Let it keep cooking uncovered another 20–30 minutes. This is where you can taste and adjust—go crazy with the salt and pepper if you like.
If things look a little thin, leave the lid off for the last bit to let it thicken up. If it’s soupy and you’re happy, lid on, no problem. Sometimes it looks weird at first, don’t panic—give it a gentle stir and it usually sorts itself out.

Notes That Aren’t From a Cookbook

If you forget to stir in the cream flour mix right at the end, don’t panic, just drizzle it in when you remember, stir, and heat for 10 minutes—no disasters.
I’ve added a bay leaf before, but honestly, I never notice much difference. Maybe I don’t have the fancy taste buds for it!
Wild rice can come out a bit chewy if you use the real deal straight from Minnesota—if you like it super tender, try a blend or add 30 extra minutes cook time.

Variations I’ve Tried (and One Odd Failure!)

Weirdly, diced sweet potato makes this more autumnal, but turns it orange—and my son said it looked like Halloween in a bowl. Still, not bad if you like that flavor.
I swapped in coconut milk once instead of cream for a friend who can’t do dairy, and it was… okay. Not my favorite, but if you like coconut, you might dig it.
Adding spinach at the end makes me feel like I’m eating healthier. (Does it count? Probably)
One time I tried using quinoa instead of rice. No one ate the leftovers, myself included—so I wouldn’t repeat that experiment.

Equipment? Here’s What Works (Plus a Hack or Two)

A good crockpot, slow cooker, or even an Instant Pot on the slow cook function. Mine’s an old Hamilton Beach model from Target (here’s a handy review of slow cookers if you’re shopping).
If you don’t have a proper crockpot, you could use a heavy Dutch oven on your stovetop over low heat. Keep an eye on it—stir every hour or so.
Just two forks for shredding, really. No stand mixer or anything wild needed (but you do you).

How To Store Leftovers (If You Even Get That Far)

This soup keeps 3–4 days in the fridge in a lidded container, and it actually sort of thickens up and tastes even better on the second day (though honestly, in my house it rarely lasts that long—someone sneaks a bowl as a midnight snack). You can freeze in single portions if you’re that organized—but I’ve only bothered once, truthfully. Rice gets a tad soft, but totally edible.

Serving It Up (Bread is Not Optional… At Least For Me)

I always ladle this into deep bowls and serve with a warm chunk of sourdough or, like last week, whatever crusty bakery loaf was at the grocery bakery’s discount bin (pro tip: King Arthur’s sourdough recipe is worth a try if you like home baking). Sometimes my kids put shredded cheddar on top—go for it.

Pro Tips I Learned The Hard Way

Don’t try to rush the wild rice. I once set my slow cooker to high to “save time”—came back to chewy half-cooked rice. Oops. Low and slow really is best here.
Always taste before serving. Once, I forgot the salt entirely and could not figure out why it tasted so bland (fixed it in the bowl—everyone survived, but lesson learned).
Chicken gets stringy if overcooked, but honestly, I’ve done it and you just call it “pulled chicken” and everyone’s happy!

FAQ – Real Questions, Real Answers

Can I use rotisserie chicken? Absolutely—I’ve done this on a Tuesday when I didn’t want to deal with raw chicken. Just add it near the end so it doesn’t get mushy.
Do I have to use wild rice? Technically no. Really, any hearty rice or blend works, but true wild rice gives you that nutty flavor. Brown rice is fine in a pinch.
Is it freezer-friendly? It freezes okay, though the texture changes. If you’re aiming for perfection, maybe freeze without the cream—add it when reheating. But honestly, this is a soup for leftovers, not show-offs.
Can I make this dairy-free? Yes (see above with coconut milk) but it’s honestly creamier with real cream or half-and-half. You could try oat milk, too. Haven’t tried soy milk, so that’s a gamble.
What if my soup is too thick? Thin it with a splash of extra broth or milk. Happened to me more than once when I forgot about it on the Keep Warm setting.
Can I double the recipe? For sure, just check your slow cooker size. Mine handles double if I skip some veg, but be warned: you need a juggernaut-sized crockpot for that.
Any quick fixes if I forget an ingredient? Honestly, as long as you have chicken, rice, and something creamy, you’re set. This is cooks-in-the-real-world soup, not MasterChef.

So there you have it, friend—a real person’s guide to (just about) foolproof creamy crockpot chicken wild rice soup. If you ever want more soup recipes or get really into wild rice lore (it’s a thing!), check out Half Baked Harvest—she’s got cozy soup ideas for days.

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup