Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

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Author: Amanda
Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x

Description

There’s something deeply satisfying about a soup that walks the line between cozy and luxurious. This one’s loaded with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, silky leeks, and just enough richness to make it feel like a hug in a bowl. It holds well for a few days and might even taste better the next. Don’t skip the dill, lemon, and crispy chicken skin—it’s the crunchy, salty finisher you didn’t know you needed.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup raw wild rice
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 1–1/4 cups)
1 leek, white and green parts, finely diced (about 1–1/4 cups)
1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 ribs celery, finely diced (scant 1 cup)
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5–6 cups high-quality chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed and reserved (if you wish to serve crispy chicken skin on top of the soup), cut into bite-sized pieces*
A few dashes of Worcestershire
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream, plus more for serving if desired
Fresh dill and lemon wedges, for serving

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Instructions

In a small saucepan, cook 1 cup raw wild rice according to package directions. Set aside.
While the rice cooks, preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread any reserved chicken skin (from your 1 pound of rotisserie chicken) on a parchment-lined baking sheet, flattening it out as much as possible. Bake until deeply golden and crisp, 10–15 minutes. Let cool, then break into shards for serving.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt 6 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 1-1/4 cups), 1 finely diced leek (white and green parts, about 1¼ cups), ½ large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup), and 2 ribs celery, finely diced (scant 1 cup). Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, 8–10 minutes.
Add 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced, and cook until they’ve released their moisture and are deeply browned, 10–12 minutes. Season lightly with salt toward the end of cooking. Don’t rush this step—mushroom flavor magic happens here.
Deglaze the pan with 1 cup dry white wine, scraping up the browned bits. Let it simmer until almost all the liquid is evaporated, 2–3 minutes. Stir in 4 finely minced garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle ½ cup all-purpose flour over the veggies and stir to coat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually whisk in 5 cups high-quality chicken stock, starting with about 2 cups and stirring until smooth before adding the rest. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the cooked wild rice, 1 pound rotisserie chicken meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 cup heavy cream, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add up to an additional 1 cup chicken broth to thin the soup if necessary.
Off heat, stir in ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese and 3 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Serve hot, topped with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream if desired, lots of fresh dill, a good squeeze of lemon juice, and the crumbled crispy chicken skin.