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    The Life Jolie » Main/Entree » Leftover Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Great for Turkey Leftovers too!)

    Leftover Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Great for Turkey Leftovers too!)

    Published: Nov 21, 2019 · Modified: Aug 31, 2022 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is the best easy and tasty way to use leftover chicken or turkey. Made on the stovetop, it whips up in no time and is as comforting as it is delicious and comes together quickly (under an hour)!

    This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is an easy and tasty way to use leftover chicken or turkey. Made on the stovetop, it whips up in no time and is as comforting as it is delicious!

    An overhead image of a bowl of chicken wild rice soup

    Try some other great soup recipes like Butternut Squash Soup, Sausage and Bean Soup and Taco Soup.

    Chicken Wild Rice Soup

    This post contains Affiliate Links. Please see the disclaimer here.

    You can never have enough chicken soup recipes, amirite?! I love recipes that allow you to repurpose leftovers because I hate food waste, so I was excited to put together this creamy chicken wild rice soup. We eat a ton of chicken all-year-around and since I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year, I plan to have a ton of turkey leftovers too (and then it's turkey wild rice soup)!

    I love how a little bit of cream makes this super comforting! The wild rice adds some fantastic texture and this is one of those soups I can make and enjoy for lunch or dinner for several days without getting sick of it- my whole family just loved it!

    Tips for making Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

    • Cook the wild rice separate from the soup so that it doesn't suck up all the broth from cooking in the soup.
    • When you mix the flour in, keep stirring until there are no longer any lumps.
    • I use low sodium broth to give me more control about how much salt is in there (you can season to taste when it's done cooking).

    A side shot of a bowl of chicken and wild rice soup with a spoon in it

    How do you thicken wild rice soup?

    Since you're starting with butter, when you add the flour and mix it in, it becomes a roux which then thickens the both. And the heavy cream makes it extra creamy.

    Can you make this wild rice soup recipe without cream?

    The heavy cream is optional but I think it adds a nice velvety creaminess. You could also use full fat coconut milk.

    Can you make wild rice soup gluten free?

    Yes, replace the flour with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and make sure you don't leave out the heavy cream!

    Can you freeze cream of chicken and rice soup?

    Yes, be sure it's covered and it will last for up to 3 months.

    An overheead image of 3 bowls of this chicken wild rice soup recipe

    Ingredients for making Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe

    • Butter
    • Carrots
    • Celery
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Poultry seasoning
    • Flour
    • Low sodium chicken broth
    • Chicken or turkey
    • Wild rice
    • Heavy cream
    • Kosher salt
    • Black pepper

    Ingredients to prep ahead:

    • Dice carrots
    • Dice celery
    • Dice onion
    • Peel garlic
    • Cook and shred chicken (or shred a rotisserie chicken)
    • Cook wild rice as per package directions

    Helpful tools:

    1. Measuring cups
    2. Measuring spoons
    3. Wooden spoon
    4. Cast iron dutch oven or this kind of dutch oven
    5. Chef's knife
    6. Cutting board

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    This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is the best easy and tasty way to use leftover chicken or turkey. Made on the stovetop, it whips up in no time and is as comforting as it is delicious and comes together quickly (under an hour)!

    Chicken Wild Rice Soup

    Jessy Freimann
    This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is an easy and tasty way to use leftover chicken or turkey. Made on the stovetop, it whips up in no time and is as comforting as it is delicious!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course dinner, Main, Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 Tablespoons butter
    • 1 heaping cup diced onion
    • 1 heaping cup diced carrot
    • 1 heaping cup diced celery
    • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
    • ¼ cup flour
    • 1 quart low sodium chicken broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 ½ cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
    • 1 ½ cups cooked wild rice (or you can use white or brown cooked rice)
    • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
    • Kosher salt, to taste
    • Back pepper, to taste

    Instructions
     

    • In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium high heat.
    • Add onion, carrots and celery and saute to soften stirring periodically, about 5 minutes.
    • Stir in minced garlic and poultry seasoning and saute 1 more minute.
    • Add flour and stir until no more lumps remain. Cook for 1 minute.
    • Add broth, water and chicken (or turkey) and bring to a boil.
    • Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
    • Stir in wild rice and heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

    You can find a full index of my recipes here.

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    « Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
    Leftover Chicken Shepherd's Pie Recipe (also great for leftover turkey!) »
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    Comments

    1. 'Ruth says

      December 27, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      I have made this soup many times....it is delicious. I usually make my own turkey stock/broth.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        December 27, 2020 at 10:17 pm

        So glad you loved it Ruth! I bet it's even better with your homemade stock!!
        Reply
    2. TONIA D THOMPSON says

      October 09, 2021 at 10:58 am

      I'll be making this weekend. Sounds yummy
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        October 15, 2021 at 3:06 pm

        Enjoy :)
        Reply

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