Everyone in the house is fighting some kind of virus. While no one is full-on sick, we’re all tired and just not feeling 100%. But we’re all still eating and working which means it’s time for one of my favorite winter meals, Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup. This is an easy recipe to make and tastes even better the next day. It also ensures that we get enough protein and fat to help us stay healthy and keep up our energy. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll search for and add peeled, diced parsnips into this soup for an extra shot of Vitamin C, B9, as well as potassium, folate, and iron. I also love to serve this soup with my homemade Irish Soda Bread with lots of butter. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and get a chance to play in the snow or sand, depending on where you live.

Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
I got this recipe from my SIL, and I've made a few adjustments. But with some substitutions, this soup can be gluten free and/or vegan. It's perfect on a cold winter's night when you want to eat in front of the fire.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- dash Kosher salt and pepper
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled and diced
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup wild rice
- 5 cups chicken broth divided
- 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken and set aside.
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In a stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion and saute for 15 minutes. Let the carrots soften and the onions begin to caramelize. Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
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Stir in the flour and keep stirring until the flour is fragrant and brown and a roux begins to form. Stir in 4 cups of the chicken broth.
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Bring to a simmer and add the chicken. Once that's stirred in, add the wild rice. Bring to a simmer again. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the wild rice is cooked through.
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Once the rice is fully cooked, stir in the can of evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer again and cook for another 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add the rest of the broth (there should be 1 cup left). Only add in however much you want to get your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.
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The next day, when you reheat the soup, it will be thick. Reheat the soup on the stove before adding in any more broth. Once the soup is hot it will thin a bit and then you can add more broth for a thinner soup, if desired.