That chill in the air means one thing: it’s soup season.
You need a recipe that’s cozy, filling, and doesn’t take all day to make. Something that tastes like you ordered it from a fancy restaurant, but you made it yourself.
This creamy mushroom, chicken, and wild rice soup is that recipe. It’s simple, packed with flavor, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Nothing too crazy, just good, simple stuff.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted works fine.
- Veggies: Yellow onion, carrots, and celery. The classic base for any good soup.
- Mushrooms: Cremini or baby bella mushrooms give the best flavor.
- Garlic: Freshly minced is always best.
- Herbs: A little bit of dried thyme and some fresh parsley.
- Flour: Just a bit to help thicken the soup.
- Chicken Broth: Use a low-sodium kind so you can control the salt.
- Wild Rice Blend: A blend gives you great texture. Don’t use just plain wild rice.
- Chicken: Cooked and shredded. A rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut here.
- Heavy Cream: This is what makes it super creamy.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To taste.
| Veggie Prep | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Onion | 1 medium, chopped |
| Carrots | 2 medium, chopped |
| Celery | 2 stalks, chopped |
| Mushrooms | 8 oz, sliced |
| Garlic | 3 cloves, minced |
Tools For the Job
You won’t need any special equipment for this.
- A large pot or Dutch oven
- A wooden spoon or spatula
- A sharp knife for chopping
- A cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
I’ve made this soup more times than I can count. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned along the way.
Don’t Crowd the Mushrooms
If you dump all the mushrooms in the pot at once, they will steam instead of brown. Work in two batches if you need to. Browning them gives the soup a deep, earthy flavor that you just can’t get from steamed mushrooms.
Wait to Add the Cream
Never boil the soup after you’ve added the heavy cream. A high heat can make the cream curdle or separate. Add it at the very end and just heat it through gently. This keeps it smooth and creamy.
Use a Rotisserie Chicken
This is my favorite shortcut for any chicken soup. It saves you the step of cooking the chicken, and the meat is always tender and flavorful. Just pull the meat off the bones and shred it.
Taste Before You Salt
Your chicken broth already has salt in it. So does the butter if you use salted. Always taste the soup at the end before you add your final seasoning. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it out.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup
This recipe is straightforward. Just follow the steps, and you’ll be fine.
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften.
Step 2: Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot. Cook them until they are browned and have released their liquid, which should take about 8-10 minutes. Don’t stir them too much at first.
Step 3: Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for just one more minute until you can smell the garlic.
Step 4: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir everything together and cook for about one minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
Step 5: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly. This prevents any lumps from forming. Bring the soup to a simmer.
Step 6: Add the wild rice blend to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender. The rice will absorb a lot of the liquid.
Step 7: Once the rice is cooked, stir in the shredded chicken. Let it heat through for a couple of minutes.
Step 8: Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Let it warm up, but do not let the soup boil.
Step 9: Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the fresh parsley just before serving.
| Step Timing | Estimated Time |
|---|---|
| Sauté Veggies | 5-7 minutes |
| Brown Mushrooms | 8-10 minutes |
| Cook Rice | 45 minutes |
| Finish Soup | 5 minutes |
Substitutions and Variations
Don’t have something on hand? No problem. Soup is very forgiving.
- No Heavy Cream? You can use half-and-half for a slightly lighter soup. Canned coconut milk (the full-fat kind) also works for a dairy-free option.
- Different Herbs: Fresh rosemary or sage would also taste great in this soup. Add them with the thyme.
- Add More Veggies: Spinach or kale can be stirred in at the end until wilted. Frozen peas also work well.
- For a Thicker Soup: You can make a slurry with one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of cold water. Stir it in before you add the cream and let it simmer for a minute.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can do some of the prep work ahead of time to make dinner even faster.
Chop all your vegetables (onion, carrots, celery) a day or two in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can also cook and shred your chicken ahead of time. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Diet Swaps and Nutrition
This soup can be adjusted for different dietary needs.
| Diet | Swap |
|---|---|
| Gluten-Free | Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour |
| Dairy-Free | Use oil instead of butter and full-fat coconut milk |
| Lower-Carb | Use cauliflower rice instead of wild rice (add at the end) |
The nutritional information is an estimate. A serving of this soup will generally have around 400-500 calories, depending on your specific ingredients.
What to Serve With Your Soup
This soup is a meal all by itself.
If you want something on the side, a piece of crusty bread for dipping is perfect. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette also pairs nicely.
Leftovers and Storage
Got leftovers? Lucky you. This soup is even better the next day.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will continue to soak up liquid, so the soup will get thicker.
When you reheat it, you may need to add a splash of chicken broth or water to thin it out a bit. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I freeze this soup?
Ans: I don’t recommend it. Soups with cream and rice don’t freeze well. The cream can separate, and the rice can become mushy when you reheat it.
Q2. My soup isn’t thick enough. What did I do wrong?
Ans: You didn’t do anything wrong! If you want it thicker, just let it simmer uncovered for a little longer. Or, you can use the cornstarch slurry trick I mentioned in the variations section.
Q3. Can I use leftover turkey instead of chicken?
Ans: Absolutely. This is a fantastic recipe for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The steps are exactly the same.
Q4. I don’t have a wild rice blend. Can I use plain white or brown rice?
Ans: You can, but the cooking time will change. White rice will cook much faster (about 15-20 minutes). Brown rice will take about the same time as the wild rice blend. The texture will be different, but still good.
Wrapping Up
This soup is one of my go-to recipes when I need something comforting and delicious. It’s a true crowd-pleaser.
Now it’s your turn to make it.
I’d love to hear how it goes. Drop a comment below and let me know if you made any fun changes or if you have any questions. I’ll be sure to answer them.
