Name: Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked and cubed chicken; 6.3 oz box long grain and wild rice mix, seasoning packet included; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped carrots; ½ cup chopped onion; 10.5 oz condensed cream of chicken soup; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 cup half-and-half; ¼ cup chive and onion cream cheese; 2 tablespoons butter; Chopped fresh parsley (optional for serving)

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This chicken wild rice soup is so creamy and flavorful, with tender chicken, carrots, celery, and a seasoned wild rice blend in every bite. I love that everything cooks together in one pot, including the uncooked rice. The cream of chicken soup, half-and-half, and chive and onion cream cheese make the broth rich and creamy without having to make a separate sauce.

Creamy chicken wild rice soup with tender chicken, carrots, celery, and wild rice in a white bowl

Ingredients

Cooked chicken: You’ll need 2 cups of cubed chicken. I cooked chicken tenders seasoned with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning before cutting them into pieces.
Long grain and wild rice mix: Use one 6.3-ounce box, including the seasoning packet. I used Earthly Grains roasted vegetable and chicken-flavored rice mix. Make sure you’re using a blend that takes about 25–30 minutes to cook, not instant rice.
Carrots, celery, and onion: Chop these into small, fairly even pieces so they become tender while the rice cooks.
Cream of chicken soup: One 10.5-ounce can gives the soup a thicker, creamy base.
Chicken broth: Four cups provide the cooking liquid for the rice and vegetables.
Half-and-half: Adds richness to the broth.
Chive and onion cream cheese: A small amount adds extra creaminess and onion flavor.
Butter: Adds richness to the soup.
Fresh parsley: Optional, for serving.

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Combine the ingredients. Add the cooked chicken, uncooked rice mix with its seasoning packet, celery, carrots, onion, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, half-and-half, chive and onion cream cheese, and butter to a large stockpot. Stir everything together.

Cooked chicken, vegetables, wild rice, and cream of chicken soup combined in a stockpot before cooking

Bring to a boil. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup begins to boil.

Simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, especially along the bottom of the pot, to prevent the rice from sticking.

Homemade chicken and wild rice soup with a creamy broth, chicken, carrots, and celery

Check for tenderness. The soup is ready when the rice and carrots are tender. If either needs more time, continue cooking for a few additional minutes.

Serve. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?

Yes! Rotisserie chicken is an easy substitute for cooking chicken tenders from scratch. Use 2 cups of chopped or shredded cooked chicken and add it to the pot with the remaining ingredients.

Can I Use Regular Wild Rice Instead of a Boxed Mix?

I recommend sticking with the boxed long grain and wild rice mix for this particular recipe. It contains a blend of rice and a seasoning packet that helps flavor the soup.

Plain wild rice usually takes considerably longer to cook, so it wouldn’t be a direct substitution without changing the cooking time and potentially the amount of liquid.

Uncooked long grain and wild rice mix being poured from a box into a pot of chicken wild rice soup

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Chicken and wild rice soup usually thickens as it sits because the rice continues to absorb liquid. If you have leftovers, add a little extra chicken broth when reheating to bring the soup back to the consistency you like.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot throughout.

What to Serve with Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This soup is filling enough for dinner on its own, but something to dip into the creamy broth is always good. Try serving it with my Parmesan puff pastry breadsticks.