By Hannah Nordstrom · Published · 949 words
In Minnesota, where I learned to cook, chicken and wild rice soup is closer to a birthright than a recipe. It turns up at church suppers, in thermoses at hockey rinks, and on the stove the moment the first hard frost arrives. This version is creamy, deeply savory, and built in one pot, with tender chicken and the nutty chew of real wild rice. It comes together in under an hour, and it is naturally gluten-free when you thicken it the way I do below.
The soul of the bowl is the wild rice itself. Not the boxed blend cut with white rice, but true wild rice, the seed of an aquatic grass native to the Great Lakes. It holds its shape in liquid, turning tender at the edges while keeping a firm, smoky bite at the center.
Why wild rice belongs in chicken soup
Wild rice is not actually rice. It is the seed of a tall grass that grows in shallow lakes and rivers, and in my state it carries real cultural weight: the Ojibwe word is manoomin, “the good berry,” still hand-harvested from canoes each autumn. For soup it brings three things ordinary rice cannot:
- A firm, lasting texture. It will not turn to mush, even on day two.
- A toasty, nutty flavor that stands up to cream and chicken.
- Real nutrition. Per USDA FoodData Central, wild rice carries more protein and fiber than white rice, with fewer calories per cup.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wild rice | 1 cup | True wild rice, rinsed |
| Cooked chicken, shredded | 2 cups | Rotisserie works beautifully |
| Butter | 3 tbsp | |
| Onion, carrot, celery, diced | 1 cup each | The classic mirepoix |
| Garlic, minced | 3 cloves | |
| Chicken broth | 6 cups | Gluten-free broth keeps it GF |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup | Or half-and-half |
| Cornstarch | 3 tbsp | The gluten-free thickener |
| Thyme, salt, pepper | To taste | A bay leaf is welcome |
A note on the rice: look for true wild rice, not a “wild rice blend” padded out with white rice. Lake-harvested brands like Goose Valley and Native Harvest are what I keep in the pantry, and the difference in texture is night and day.
How to make chicken and wild rice soup
- Cook the wild rice first. Simmer it in 3 cups of the broth for 40 to 45 minutes, until the grains begin to split and curl. This is the one step you cannot rush.
- Sweat the vegetables. In a large pot, melt the butter and cook the onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Build the soup. Pour in the remaining broth, the cooked wild rice with its liquid, the chicken, and the thyme. Simmer 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Thicken and finish. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold cream until smooth, then stir it into the simmering soup. Cook two or three minutes until it turns glossy and coats the spoon. Season well, and fish out the bay leaf.
Serve it hot, ideally with a thick slice of bread for dunking. A dark, seedy loaf from our ancient grain bread guide, or a slice of rye, is the proper Minnesota move.
Do you cook the wild rice separately or in the soup?
Cook it first, in part of the broth. Wild rice takes 40 to 45 minutes, far longer than the vegetables or chicken want, so dumping everything in together leaves you with either mushy vegetables or crunchy rice. Simmering the rice first in broth, not water, also seasons it from the inside. You can do this a day ahead.
How do you make chicken and wild rice soup creamy without flour?
A classic creamy soup leans on a flour roux, but that puts it off-limits for anyone avoiding gluten. I use a cornstarch slurry instead: whisk cornstarch into cold cream, then stir it into the hot soup and let it bubble briefly. It thickens just as well, stays glossy, and keeps the whole pot gluten-free. Arrowroot works the same way if you prefer it.
Is chicken and wild rice soup gluten-free?
It can be, easily. Wild rice is naturally gluten-free, as are the chicken, cream, and vegetables. Gluten only sneaks in through two doors: the thickener (use cornstarch, not a flour roux) and the broth (some boxed broths contain gluten, so read the label or buy a certified gluten-free one). Made that way, this is a soup the whole table can share.
Can you make it ahead or freeze it?
It keeps three or four days in the fridge, and unlike white-rice soups the wild rice stays pleasantly firm. To freeze, I freeze the soup base and rice without the cream, then stir fresh cream in while reheating. Dairy can separate after freezing and thawing, so adding it at the end keeps the texture silky.
More hearty grain bowls and soups
If this is your kind of cooking, you are in good company here. Browse more wild rice recipes, simmer a pot of beef and barley soup when you want something even heartier, and read up on the grain itself on our wild rice and barley pages.
Cook this with real, hand-harvested wild rice
Skip the white-rice blends. True lake-harvested wild rice holds its bite all the way to the last spoonful.
Shop wild rice →