This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is rich, creamy, and full of tender chicken and vegetables. Made easily in the pressure cooker, it’s a hearty, satisfying meal perfect for any night of the week!
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Quick Recipe Overview
WHAT: This soup combines tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a luxurious cream base into one satisfying bowl that’s perfect for any occasion.
WHY: Your pressure cooker does all the work, turning simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal in just 40 minutes from start to finish.
HOW: Sauté the vegetables, add chicken and rice with broth, pressure cook for 5 minutes, then stir in a creamy mixture to create the perfect velvety texture.
Jump to:
- Quick Recipe Overview
- Why I Love Making Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Ingredient Notes
- Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- How To Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- FAQs for Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- My Best Tips for Making Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- What to Serve With Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Storage & Reheating Tips
- More Delicious Soup Recipes to Consider
Why I Love Making Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Unlike other soup recipes that require constant stirring and monitoring, the pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting. Simply add everything to the pot, walk away for a few minutes, and come back to perfectly cooked, creamy goodness that tastes like it simmered for hours.
The texture and flavor combination in this soup is unbeatable. The wild rice adds wonderful nutty chewiness that contrasts beautifully with the tender chicken and silky cream base. Every spoonful is substantial and satisfying, making it a meal that truly fills you up.
This recipe is incredibly versatile and forgiving. It works perfectly for rushed weeknights, doubles easily for meal prep, and impresses guests every time. It’s the kind of reliable, delicious recipe that pleases everyone at the table.
🩷 Melissa
I always make sure to cut my chicken and vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate and creates a consistent texture in every spoonful.
I adjust the amount of cornstarch slurry based on my preference – I use less for a brothier soup or the full amount for an extra-thick, stew-like consistency.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: Fresh chicken breasts work perfectly in this recipe, but you can substitute pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save even more time.
Wild rice blend: Uncle Ben’s Long-Grain and Wild Rice is convenient, but you can use ¾ cup of plain wild rice, brown rice, or any rice blend you have on hand.
Chicken broth: Two 14.5-ounce cans provide the perfect amount of liquid, but you can also use homemade chicken stock or low-sodium broth if you prefer to control the salt level.
Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese creates the richest, creamiest texture. Cut it into small cubes before adding so it melts quickly and evenly into the soup.
Half-and-half: This adds luxurious creaminess to the soup.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 large chicken breasts diced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cans chicken broth 14.5 fluid oz. each
- 1 package Uncle Ben’s Long-Grain and WIld Rice (6 oz) discard seasoning packet
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- dash red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
Instructions
- Select the “Browning/Sauté” option on your electric pressure cooker.
- Melt butter in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, chicken broth, rice, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Lock the lid, place the valve to the sealing position, and select the “High Pressure” option and 5 minutes cook time. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. After 5 minutes, do the quick pressure release.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water. Select the “Simmer/Sauté” and add the slurry to the pot, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Stir in milk and half-and-half.
- Heat through, without boiling, and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
How To Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Step 1: Set your electric pressure cooker to the “Browning/Sauté” function and melt the butter in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables become tender and fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the chicken, chicken broth, rice, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Lock the lid, set the valve to the sealing position, and select “High Pressure” for 5 minutes. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker, wait 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Switch the pressure cooker to “Simmer/Sauté” and add the slurry to the pot, stirring constantly. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth.
Step 4: Stir in the milk and half-and-half, then heat the soup through without letting it boil. Once warmed through, your creamy chicken wild rice soup is ready to serve hot.
FAQs for Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Yes, sauté the vegetables and chicken in a large pot, add the broth and rice, then simmer covered for 35-40 minutes until the rice is tender. Proceed with the remaining steps as directed.
You can use all milk for a lighter version, heavy cream for an extra-rich soup, or even coconut cream for a dairy-free alternative (though this will change the flavor profile slightly).
If it’s too thick, simply stir in additional chicken broth or milk until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, make extra cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water) and simmer until thickened.
My Best Tips for Making Chicken Wild Rice Soup
☞Don’t Skip the Sauté Step: I never bypass sautéing the vegetables in butter first – those few minutes build a flavor foundation that makes the entire soup taste richer and more complex, like it’s been simmering for hours.
☞Let the Pressure Release Naturally (Partially): I always wait the full 5 minutes before doing the quick release. This keeps the chicken incredibly tender.
☞Add Dairy Last and Keep It Gentle: I add the cream cheese, milk, and half-and-half at the very end and never let it boil. This is the secret to achieving that silky, restaurant-quality texture without any graininess.
What to Serve With Chicken Wild Rice Soup
I love pairing this hearty soup with crusty bread or warm dinner rolls for dipping into that creamy broth. For a heartier meal, I’ll add some garlic bread or cheesy biscuits on the side, which my family always devours.
If I’m keeping things light, I’ll serve the soup with some buttery crackers or a fresh green salad topped with crisp vegetables. For special occasions, I sometimes add a charcuterie board with cheese, fruit, and nuts as an appetizer.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will absorb liquid as it sits, thickening the soup overnight. For longer storage, freeze the soup base before adding dairy for up to 2 months, then stir in the cream cheese, milk, and half-and-half when reheating.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth or milk if needed to thin it out. Avoid boiling, as this can cause the dairy to separate. For frozen soup, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and adding the dairy.
More Delicious Soup Recipes to Consider
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Rehoboth
Excellent Post