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Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Crockpot Recipe

There is nothing better than coming home on a chilly fall day to dinner already cooking in the crockpot, and this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is exactly the kind of cozy comfort food I crave once the temperatures start dropping. It’s creamy, hearty, packed with tender chicken, wild rice and vegetables, and honestly just one of those soups that makes the entire house smell amazing.

If you love cozy soup season as much as I do, you’ll also want to try my Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup, Creamy Roasted Tuscan Chicken Soup, and my Loaded Baked Potato Soup. They’re all perfect for those cold fall and winter nights when you want something warm and filling without making dinner overly complicated.

What I especially love about this chicken and wild rice soup is that the crockpot does most of the work for you. Add everything in, let it slowly cook throughout the day, and by dinnertime you have tender chicken, perfectly cooked vegetables and all of those savory flavors mixed together in one creamy bowl.

The Perfect Crockpot Soup for Fall

This is one of those recipes I can see myself making over and over again throughout fall and winter.

There’s something about wild rice in soup that makes it feel extra hearty and comforting. It has a little more texture than regular rice and pairs so well with chicken, carrots, celery, onion and all of those cozy herbs and seasonings.

Once the creamy part is stirred in toward the end, the broth becomes rich and velvety without taking away from all of the other flavors.

And because everything is made right in the slow cooker, this is such a good dinner for busy weekdays, football Sundays, rainy weekends or even Halloween night when everyone is coming and going.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

First of all, it’s incredibly easy.

You don’t need to spend the afternoon standing over the stove or dirty a bunch of different pans. Most of the ingredients go straight into the crockpot and slowly cook together.

The chicken becomes incredibly tender and basically falls apart when you shred it.

The vegetables soften into the broth while still giving the soup plenty of texture, and the wild rice makes it filling enough that this can easily be your entire dinner.

And then there’s the creamy broth.

That is what turns a simple chicken and rice soup into the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.

A Great Make-Ahead Dinner

Crockpot recipes are always some of my favorites during the fall because I can get dinner started earlier in the day and basically forget about it until later.

This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is perfect for that.

You can prep your vegetables the night before if you really want to make things easy. Then in the morning, add everything to your slow cooker and let it cook.

By the afternoon your kitchen is going to smell SO good.

It’s also a great recipe for feeding a family because it makes a nice big batch, and leftovers are just as good the next day.

What Makes Wild Rice So Good in Soup?

Wild rice is a little different from regular white or brown rice. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a firmer, chewier texture, which is exactly why I love it in hearty soups.

Instead of disappearing into the broth, it gives every spoonful a little extra texture.

For this recipe, I recommend using a wild rice blend that is meant to cook for a longer period of time rather than an instant or quick-cooking rice.

Since everything is slowly cooking together in the crockpot, you want rice that can hold up without turning mushy.

The Secret to a Creamy Crockpot Soup

One thing I recommend when making creamy crockpot soups is waiting until closer to the end of the cooking time to add your cream or dairy.

That keeps everything smooth and creamy instead of letting the dairy cook for hours.

Once the chicken and rice are fully cooked, shred your chicken and stir it back into the soup. Then add your creamy mixture and let everything warm together.

This gives you that rich, silky broth that makes this soup feel so comforting.

What to Serve With Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Honestly, give me a big bowl of this soup and some warm crusty bread and I am happy.

A loaf of sourdough, warm dinner rolls or garlic bread are all perfect for dipping into the creamy broth.

You can also serve it with a simple side salad if you want something fresh alongside it.

And if you’re having people over for a cozy fall dinner, I love the idea of making soup the main course and then serving one of my 10 Easy Fall Batch Cocktails alongside it. It keeps everything casual, cozy and really easy for entertaining.

Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?

You definitely can.

If you already have cooked shredded chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken, you can add it toward the end instead of cooking raw chicken breasts directly in the crockpot.

I actually love this shortcut when I need to get dinner together quickly.

Just allow the vegetables and wild rice to cook first, then stir in your shredded chicken later so it only needs enough time to heat through.

Can I Make This Soup Thicker?

Absolutely.

If you like your chicken and wild rice soup extra thick and creamy, you can use a small flour or cornstarch slurry toward the end.

Mix it separately before stirring it into the hot soup so you don’t end up with any lumps.

You can also let the soup sit uncovered for a little while after adding the creamy ingredients. It will naturally continue to thicken as it sits.

Keep in mind that wild rice also absorbs liquid, so leftovers may become thicker overnight.

If that happens, simply stir in a splash of chicken broth or milk when reheating.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

When reheating, warm it slowly on the stovetop or in the microwave and add a little extra chicken broth if the rice has absorbed too much liquid.

I actually think soup is one of those foods that can taste even better the next day because all of those flavors have had extra time to come together.

Cozy Crockpot Comfort Food

This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is everything I want in a fall dinner — warm, creamy, hearty and incredibly easy.

It’s the type of meal you can start earlier in the day, go about everything else you have to do, and come back to a crockpot filled with the coziest dinner.

Serve it with warm bread, sprinkle a little fresh parsley over the top and add some freshly cracked black pepper right before serving.

And if you’re building your fall soup list, definitely save my Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup for another night too.

Between the tender chicken, hearty wild rice, vegetables and that rich creamy broth, this is one crockpot soup I know I’ll be making all season long.

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