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Cozy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Fall Soup – Easy Comfort Dinner

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A hearty and comforting slow cooker soup featuring tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a creamy broth. Perfect for fall evenings, this easy recipe requires just 15 minutes of prep and delivers a deeply flavorful, crowd-pleasing meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice (e.g., Lundberg brand)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the carrots start to soften (about 5-7 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  2. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Scrape every bit of the mixture into the crockpot.
  3. Add the chicken, rice, broth, and seasonings: Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the uncooked wild rice around the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the dried thyme, crushed rosemary, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir gently.
  4. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The rice is ready when it has split open and curled slightly, and the chicken shreds easily with two forks.
  5. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. Discard any large chunks of fat. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream with about 1/2 cup of the hot broth from the crockpot to temper it. Pour the cream mixture into the pot and stir gently. Let it cook for another 10-15 minutes on low.
  7. Remove the bay leaves. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or a simple side salad.

Notes

Do not skip the sauté step—it builds flavor. Add dairy at the end to prevent curdling. If the soup is too thick, stir in extra broth. For a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream. For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and use vegetable broth with chickpeas or white beans.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken and wild rice soup, fall soup, slow cooker soup, chicken soup, wild rice soup, creamy chicken soup, easy comfort food

Find it online: https://lirafood.com/cozy-crockpot-chicken-and-wild-rice-fall-soup-easy-comfort-dinner/