Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

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5 from 20 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 19 minutes
Total: 29 minutes
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Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is a cozy, 30 minute chicken soup that tastes like it cooked low and slow. It’s the perfect warm and flavorful weeknight dinner.

If you want some other great soup recipes, try my chicken and mushroom soup and my crock pot loaded baked potato soup.

A blue bowl filled with creamy chicken and rice soup, garnished with chopped parsley.

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Why this Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe is a Keeper

I love this wonderful recipe because it’s such a quick and easy winter meal that is warm and so satisfying. It is creamy, full of flavor and perfect for a cold day.

  • 30 Minute Meal: With prep and cooking it takes only 30 minutes to make this chicken noodle soup.
  • Easy Ingredients: All these ingredients can be found in your pantry or fridge.
  • Family Friendly: Everyone will love this thick and hearty bowl of soup.
  • Adaptable: Make it low-carb or dairy free.

Can I Use Other Protein for this Creamy Soup?

A spoonful of soup garnished with chopped parsley, held above a blue bowl filled with the soup.

Sure! I have made this recipe with turkey but you can use beef, pork or tofu. They all work with this creamy broth.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup Ingredient Notes

Ingredients neatly arranged: celery, olive oil, salt, pepper, wild and white rice, diced carrots, flour, garlic, herbs, onion, orange. Butter and chicken broth add richness to the creamy chicken and rice soup accentuated by a splash of milk.

You will need just a few super simple ingredients to make this creamy chicken rice soup recipe. They’re all easy to find at the store, but you may even have some of the ingredients in your kitchen already.

  • Wild Rice: Use a quick-cooking variety of long grain. You will cook the wild rice separately and add it in later.
  • Chicken: For this recipe you will want already cooked, boneless skinless chicken breasts. Pre cooked chicken is great for this comfort food recipe, as well as shredded chicken.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Preparing a recipe ahead of time can be the best way to go! Make a recipe in advance to be able to enjoy it whenever you’d like.

  • Make Ahead: The soup can be made a day or two in advance for immediate eating, or freeze for eating later.

Special Equipment Needed

A specific piece of equipment can sometimes make all the difference in a recipe. For this cream of chicken and wild rice soup recipe, you will need a Dutch oven.

  • Dutch Oven: A Dutch oven is perfect to cook everything for this great recipe in. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a large pot or your favorite large soup pot.

Pro Tip for Delicious Soup

Serve with Toppings: Garnish the soup with fresh herbs, grated Parmesan cheese, or a dollop of sour cream.

How to Make Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This recipe comes together in 4 easy to follow steps. This is a copycat Panera chicken wild rice soup recipes you’ll love so much, you’ll be adding it to your winter meal rotation!

These are the basic steps for making Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions. Let me know if you have tried this recipe.

Four cooking steps for a creamy chicken and rice soup: diced carrots, onions, and celery in a pot; mixed vegetables; vegetables with flour; final mix with added herbs.

1. Cook Rice and Prep Dutch Oven

Cook the rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.

2. Cook the Veggies

Add onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and potato, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until potato chunks are tender.

Four-step process of making Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup: 1) Ingredients, including chicken and rice, are added to the pot, 2) Simmering with herbs, 3) Pouring cream, 4) Fully mixed creamy soup with herbs.

3. Thicken and Simmer the Soup

In another bowl, combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.

Three stages of a Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup in a pot. Image 1: uncooked rice added. Image 2: rice mixed in. Image 3: garnished with chopped parsley.

4. Add the Mix-Ins

Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice and chicken, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Chicken and Rice Soup

  • Storing: Store any leftover creamy chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight and transfer the soup to reheat in a medium saucepan on the stovetop on medium-low.
  • Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftovers with some delicious Rosemary Butter Rolls.

Variations and Substitutions to Make this Soup

This classic chicken with rice recipe is super easy to customize to make it your own! Try taking it to the next level by substituting for different ingredients.

  • Cornstarch: Cornstarch can also replace the flour mixture to help thicken the soup.
  • Other Uncooked Rice: Use long grain white rice or brown rice; They’re both good alternatives to wild rice. So use any kind of rice you like.
  • Low Sodium: Use a low sodium chicken broth if you like.
  • Crock Pot: Make this soup in the slow cooker or instant pot with just a cooking time adjustment.

Chicken Soup Recipe FAQs

What to Serve With This Recipe?

Serve this recipe with Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken, Homemade Apple Fritters or Homemade Garlic Bread from Scratch.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs?

Yes! Chicken thighs will give you a little more delicious chicken flavor in this creamy soup.

What is the Best Way to Thin out the Soup Without Losing Flavor?

The best way to thin out this soup without losing any delicious flavor is by using some extra chicken broth! Feel free to use low-sodium chicken broth.

A blue bowl brimming with creamy chicken and rice soup, garnished with chopped parsley, rests on a striped cloth.

Expert Tips to Love This Recipe

  • Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley or fresh thyme can really brighten the soup.
  • Short Cut: Using rotisserie chicken is a great, quick way to make the soup.
  • Dietary Consideration: A low fat or fat free milk can make this wild rice blend soup a little lower in fat.
  • Additional Ingredients: Add peas, beans or your favorite veggies to the soup.
  • Thick and Creamy: Make this soup extra creamy with a little bit of heavy cream.
A blue bowl filled with creamy chicken and rice soup, garnished with chopped parsley.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

5 from 20 votes
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is a cozy, 30 minute chicken soup that tastes like it cooked low and slow. It's the perfect, warm and flavorful weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 19 minutes
Total Time : 29 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Author: Christina Hitchcock

Equipment

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Quick-cooking wild rice, uncooked
  • 1 cup Onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 cups Chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cups Baking potato, peeled and cubed
  • 3 cups Milk
  • ⅓ cup Flour
  • 10 ounces Velveeta, cubed
  • 2 cups Boneless skinless chicken breasts, skinless, cooked, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper, fresh
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions
 

  • Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat, such as butter.
  • Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
  • Add onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth and potato, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until potato chunks are tender.
  • In another bowl, combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley.

Christina’s Notes

  • Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley or fresh thyme can really brighten the soup.
  • Short Cut: Using rotisserie chicken is a great, quick way to make the soup.
  • Dietary Consideration: A low fat or fat free milk can make this wild rice blend soup a little lower in fat.
  • Additional Ingredients: Add peas, beans or your favorite veggies to the soup.
  • Thick and Creamy: Make this soup extra creamy with a little bit of heavy cream.
Helpful Tips for All RecipesThese quick tips will help you get perfect results every time.

  • Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
  • Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
  • Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
  • Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
  • Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.

For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.

Click here to add your own private notes.

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 30gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1432mgPotassium: 774mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 668IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 671mgIron: 2mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
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59 thoughts on “Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup”

  1. Hiya!!! Thanks for stopping in at my blog during the Follow Friday Link up!!! This recipe looks tasty!

    I’m following you on FB and GFC! If you ever want to guest chef on my blog let me know. All you would need to do is give me a recipe and a photo, much like you do now on your blog! The post will link back to your blog to help drive some traffic your way!

    Just let me know! Susie at Scraps of Life

    Reply

  5. I love to eat, so I’ll love your blog! I am hopping by from the Social Parade and am your newest follower. Please stop by when you get the chance! Have a wonderful weekend! ~Jamie

    Reply

    • Thanks for the kind words about the recipe! And, thanks for the follow! I’m following you too! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit often! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Great blog! I need some inspiration in the cooking department 🙂 I’m your newest follower from the blog hop! HOpe you stop by and visit me soon!
    miamoodesigns.blogspot.com

    Reply

    • I hope I’m able to help with some inspiration! 🙂 Thanks for the follow — I’m not following you too! Thanks for stopping by and visit often! 🙂

      Reply

  9. Yep, it’s pretty frigid here too! Ok, it’s been warming up…but only a lil! hehe. I’m a new follower from Friendly Friday. I love the title of your blog! I’m happy to read that the recipe was a keeper cause it looks delicious!!

    ~ http://www.billiemonster.com ~

    Reply

    • Thanks for the kind words about the blog! I’m now following your blog! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit often! 🙂

      Reply

    • Thanks, Mika! I appreciate the follow! I’m following you as well! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to come back soon! 🙂

      Reply

  13. This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it! I found you on the blog hop and am now following you. Check me out if you get a chance, I’m just starting out.
    Thanks!
    Clisty

    Reply

    • Good luck with your blog, Clisty! 🙂 I’m having a blast with this one! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to come back soon! 🙂

      Reply

  16. I still can not get the print option to work. I had to copy and past the chicken soup recipe. Just wondering if anyone else has the same problem. When I hit “Print” it prints out several pages. Thanks for you help.

    Reply

  19. What a great blog, thanks for finding me on Twitter … your tweets had me come over and take a look at what you were doing here … of course after reading one of your posts I now picture you speaking like Meryl Streep!

    Reply
5 from 20 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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