Here is a deliciously healthy and creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe made with tender chunks of chicken, wild rice, lots of veggies and a little sour cream. It can also be conveniently made ahead in freezer packs, and then directly transferred to (and cooked in) the slow cooker! It is the ultimate healthy comfort food, and freezer meal all in one!

overhead of a bowl of wild rice soup on a black tin with a broken roll

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Why We Love This Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Who is ready for more soup recipes? I am needing all the soup and comfort food I can get to make it through this winter, folks.

This soup is made with thick and creamy broth, tender chicken and loads of veggies and just enough wild rice to make it special. Yet it comes together so easily with very little prep work, then slowly simmers all day in the crockpot.

This creamy cozy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a great slow cooker meal that will satisfy for a weeknight meal of soup and whole wheat bread. We love it for lunches on the weekends and have loved heating up leftovers at work too.

We have also included instructions in case you want to meal prep it by making a freezer pack. From there, just all you have to do is transfer it from freezer to crockpot!

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Key Ingredients For This Chicken Wild Rice Soup

  • Wild Rice: Wild rice is a natural native ingredient, healthy and whole grain.
  • Chicken: I like to use chicken thighs for this recipe because it simmers for a long time. Unlike chicken breast, the thigh meat doesn’t become tough and will actually shred apart a little as it simmers over a long period of time. 
  • Vegetables: Traditionally chicken and wild rice soup is made with mushrooms, and you can certainly add them to this recipe, but today we chose a blend of classic mirepoix (celery, diced onion and carrot) mixed with green beans and red peppers.
  • Seasonings: To season the soup, you’ll need salt and pepper, sage and thyme. Instead of sage you can use fresh chopped rosemary (1 1/2 teaspoon) or you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons Poultry seasoning blend if you happen to have that.
  • Kitchen Staples: To thicken the soup we used what’s known as a beurre manie, which is a little softened butter blended with flour. As it is whisked into the simmering soup, the butter melts and the flour dissolves so that it doesn’t clump. I use this tried and true technique in my Beef Burgundy Recipe as well as for my Roasted Turkey & Gravy. To the finished soup add in just enough heavy cream (or sour cream) to make it creamy and delicious, but without breaking the calorie bank!
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How To Make Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Step 1: Brown Chicken and Garlic

Start off by browning the chicken in olive oil on the stovetop. This step will cook the chicken through so that it can safely be frozen and then cooked again. This step also has the added benefit of adding flavor to the soup because the chicken and garlic will brown and develop rich flavor in the process.

Step 2: Combine The Ingredients In The Slow Cooker

Scrape the chicken mixture into the insert of a large slow cooker. Add onion, carrot, celery, wild rice, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in broth and wine. Cover and set to low for 6 hours.

Note: Set a second kitchen timer for 5 hours.

Step 3: Thicken The Soup

When the kitchen timer goes off (and one hour before the slow cooker timer goes off) combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth to make the beurre manie. Remove the lid from the slow cooker, and stir in the butter mixture until there are no lumps of flour.

Step 4: Add Quick Cooking Veggies

Add the green beans and red peppers to the slow cooker, stir, cover and allow to continue cooking for the remaining hour.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Stir in heavy cream just before serving.

FAQs and Expert Tips For Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Can This Soup Be Frozen?

This soup freezes well. If it has been made as a freezer meal, it too can be frozen after it is cooked. The rule of thumb when it comes to re-freezing food is that the ingredients must go through a state change before you freeze it again. The only caveat is that the texture of the green beans and red peppers will be more soft and the green beans will not be a bright green. The taste and texture will be fine.

How long do leftovers last?

Cool letters and transfer to a resealable container. Store in the fridge up to four days. Reheat until just simmering before serving.

How Do You Reheat Creamy Soups?

Creamy soups can burn or scald when reheated, so it is best to reheat them over medium-low heat and stir often. Use a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Cook until just simmering. You can also reheat this in the microwave on high power for three to four minutes per portion, depending on the microwave.

What goes with Chicken Wild Rice Soup?

You’ll want some crusty bread to dunk into the creamy broth. You can also top it off with croutons or oyster crackers. If you like a salad on the side try this Garden Salad, our Chopped Winter Salad or this Massaged Kale Salad with Apple. To drink, try a French white Burgundy or another Chardonnay (preferably unoaked.) For dessert try our New England Hermit Cookies.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Freezer Packets

Meal Prep Instructions {From Freezer To Crockpot}

  1. Cook the chicken mixture as directed. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  2. Transfer the chicken mixture to a gallon freezer bag. Add onion, carrot, celery and wild rice. (If you like, instead of broth you can plan to use 2 generous tablespoons of chicken bullion and add that straight to the bag.) Combine red bell pepper and green beans in a second bag. Seal bags, label them, and freeze for up to 1 month.
  3. Remove bags from the freezer. Combine the chicken mixture, broth (or water if using bullion), and wine in the slow cooker and set to low for 8 hours (or 4 hours on high.) Set the bag with the green beans and peppers in the refrigerator to partially thaw.
  4. One hour before the timer goes off, combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Remove the lid from the slow cooker, and stir in the butter mixture. Add the green beans and red peppers to the slow cooker, stir, cover and allow to continue cooking for the remaining hour. Stir in sour cream just before serving.
two bowls of soup with rolls

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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overhead of a bowl of wild rice soup on a black tin with a broken roll

Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup {With Freezer Option}

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 11 cups 1x
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Description

Here is a deliciously healthy and creamy Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe made with tender chunks of chicken, wild rice, lots of veggies and a little cream. It can also be conveniently made ahead in freezer packs, and then cooked in the crockpot!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound cubed boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2/3 cup wild rice
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 7 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream or sour cream

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with garlic, and cook, stirring often until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape into the insert of a large slow cooker.
  2. Add onion, carrot, celery, wild rice, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in broth and wine. Cover and set to low for 6 hours. Set a second kitchen timer for 5 hours.
  3. When the kitchen timer goes off (and one hour before the slow cooker timer goes off) combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Remove the lid from the slow cooker, and stir in the butter mixture until lump-free.
  4. Add the green beans and red peppers to the slow cooker, stir, cover and allow to continue cooking for the remaining hour.
  5. Stir in heavy cream just before serving.

Notes

Meal Prep and Freezer To Crockpot Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic, and cook, stirring often until cooked though, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir to coat and remove from the heat and let cool.
  2. Transfer the chicken mixture to a gallon freezer bag. Add onion, carrot, celery and wild rice. Combine red bell pepper and green beans in a second bag. Seal bags, label and freeze for up to 1 month.
  3. Remove bags from freezer. Combine the chicken mixture, broth and wine in slow cooker and set to low for 8 hours (or 4 hours on high.) Set the bag with the green beans and peppers in the refrigerator to partially thaw.
  4. One hour before the timer goes off, combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Remove the lid from the slow cooker, and stir in the butter mixture. Add the green beans and red peppers to the slow cooker, stir, cover and allow to continue cooking for the remaining hour. Stir in sour cream just before serving.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 cups
  • Calories: 331
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 23 g

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