Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Sweat vegetables

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add garlic and flour

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook the raw flour taste and form a light roux.

Add liquids and simmer

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Add chicken and rice

Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and the cooked wild rice. Continue to simmer on low for 5 minutes to heat through and let the rice absorb some broth.

Season

Remove the bay leaf. Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.

Temper and finish

Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in the milk and heavy cream. Warm the soup gently — do not boil once cream is added — for 4–6 minutes until the soup is heated through and slightly thickened. If you prefer a thicker soup, simmer an additional 2–3 minutes while stirring, or mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water and add it, cooking 1–2 minutes more.

Toast almonds and prepare crackers

While the soup warms, toast the slivered almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and aromatic, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Place cream crackers in a resealable bag and crush roughly with a rolling pin into bite-sized crumbs.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of toasted slivered almonds, a tablespoon of crushed crackers, and a teaspoon of chopped parsley. Finish with additional freshly ground black pepper to taste.