Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)

A creamy, comforting bowl with tender chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 8.8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

07 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
09 - 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

→ Dairy

10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Fats

11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Thickeners

12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

→ Herbs & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic; cook for another 4 minutes until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.
03 - Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring continuously to combine and prevent lumps. Add the wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the pot. Stir in the milk or half-and-half and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's creamy and satisfying without making you feel heavy afterward.
  • The wild rice gives it personality that regular white rice could never deliver.
  • You can have a complete, restaurant-quality meal on the table in just over an hour.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of cooking the flour for a minute, that's the difference between a soup that tastes homemade and one that tastes like you forgot something.
  • Add the milk at the very end and keep the heat gentle, because if you boil dairy in soup it can break and look curdled instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before you finish it and decide if you need more salt, pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up.
  • Rotisserie chicken works beautifully if you want to cut the cooking time in half, just shred it and add it at the very end instead of cooking it at the beginning.
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