Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
3. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the rinsed wild rice blend, chicken broth, chicken thighs, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.
5. Reduce to a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender. Depending on the wild rice blend, this will generally take 35-45 minutes.
6. Once the chicken reaches at least 165F, transfer it to a cutting board. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and return it to the soup.
7. In a separate small saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for approximately 1 minute.
8. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
9. Stir this mixture into the soup. Add the heavy cream.
10. Keep the soup at a gentle heat for another 3-5 minutes. Do not aggressively boil after adding the dairy.
11. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

WILD RICE: Wild rice blends vary considerably in cooking time. Use the package instructions as a secondary timing reference and cook until the rice is genuinely tender. LEFTOVERS: The rice will continue absorbing broth in the refrigerator. Add additional broth when reheating if necessary. CHICKEN THIGHS: Thighs stay particularly tender during the longer simmer required for wild rice.

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