Name: Herb Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon oil; 4 boneless/skinless chicken thighs; 1 yellow onion (medium in size or half a large onion); 2 cups carrots, (diced); 2 cup celery, (diced); 3 garlic cloves; 6 cups chicken broth, (low sodium); 1/2 cup dried wild rice (see notes); 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 3 fresh thyme sprigs; 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, (chopped); salt & pepper to taste (see notes)

Learn how to make healthy chicken and wild rice soup! This flavorful soup is filled with a rich broth, accents of chopped vegetables, and lots of fresh herbs. It’s gluten-free friendly and perfect for fall/winter!

ceramic bowl with chicken and rice soup in it on dark background with gray napkin next to it.

If you’re looking for a cozy fall soup to make that’s quick and simple, this chicken and wild rice soup is a winner! It contains hearty wild rice, rich broth, and accents of chopped vegetables and tender chicken in every bite.

To elevate the flavors this soup requires fresh herbs instead of dried, and also utilizes both fresh garlic and garlic powder to layer with flavor. It’s simple, delicious, and a recipe everyone is sure to love!

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Ingredients – What You Need

You’ll need a handful of vegetables and pantry ingredients to make this soup happen! See below for the full list.

Chicken: I recommend using thighs (boneless + skinless) versus chicken breast because the thighs are a lot more tender and release a lot more flavor.
Rice: This recipe uses wild rice, but you can also swap for brown or white rice (cooking times will vary as the recipe notes).
Carrots: for flavor and to add some veggies!
Celery: adds tons of flavor to the broth.
Onion: yellow onion is recommended for the base flavor of the broth.
Garlic: lots of garlic for lots of flavor!
Chicken broth: use organic broth that is low sodium, then adjust salt to taste as needed.
Oil: for sauteing the vegetables.
Herbs: use fresh thyme sprigs to infuse flavor into the soup while it simmers and fresh parsley to season at the end.

Step by Step Recipe Instructions

(1) First, brown chicken in oil on both sides for about 3 minutes. Then remove chicken from the pot.

(2) Add vegetables into the same pot as chicken (do not wipe out the pot) and saute them with a pinch of salt along with chicken bits and oil (It adds flavor!). Saute vegetables for 5 minutes or until soft.

chicken thighs being browned in black cast iron pot. — Step 1

wooden spoon stirring chopped vegetables in large cast iron pot. — Step 1

(3) When vegetables are done, add the browned chicken to the pot with the vegetables. Then add thyme sprigs, broth, and rice to the pot.

glass jar pouring broth into pot with chicken and vegetables. — Step 3

(4) Then add rice to the pot (depending on what rice you choose will depend on the cooking time).

For wild rice or brown rice, you’ll need to cook the soup for 40 minutes. For white rice, you’ll need to only cook it for 20 minutes.

hand pouring bowl of rice into pot of broth. — Step 4

two forks shredding chicken on wooden cutting board. — Step 4

(5) When the soup is finished, remove the chicken and use forks to shred it into pieces. Then place chicken back into the pot, season soup with salt & black pepper to taste, then season with fresh parsley.

Tips for Success

Why this recipe is “salt to taste” – the reason this recipe (and most on my blog) do not have an exact measurement of salt is that I’m a firm believer in “salting to taste”. Why? Because not all salt is shaped the same – some salt grains are bigger, some are smaller, and so the flavor can be very different even if the measurement is the exact same. To avoid under-seasoning or over-seasoning, I recommend salting in small amounts at a time, tasting, and repeating until the flavor is just right.

Using different types of rice – not all rice is going to cook the same. If you use white rice the cooking time will be about 20 minutes, brown rice and wild rice are both about 45 minutes.

Mix up the herbs – you can also add different herbs to this soup such as oregano, herbs de Provence, or rosemary.

Use fresh herbs – the easiest way to elevate flavor in a recipe is using fresh herbs instead of dried! Dried herbs have a lot less flavor.

chicken breast or thighs – you can use any cut of chicken you like. I used boneless/skinless thighs for this recipe because they are a lot more tender and moist, you can also use chicken breast. Depending on how big the chicken cut is, you may need to adjust the simmering time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do leftovers keep? This soup should keep for about 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can I freeze it? of course! The best method is letting the soup cool completely to room temperature, then store in an airtight container or in a freezer-friendly bag (air pressed out and laid flat), then freeze for 1-2 months.

Are the measurements for dried herbs the same as fresh? Even though I don’t recommend using dried herbs in this soup, the measurements will be different than fresh. Herbs shrink in size when dried, so you’ll need to use half the amount for dried as you would for fresh herbs.

hand holding spoon in bowl of chicken and rice soup on dark background with gray napkin next to it.

What to Pair it With

Complete your meal by pairing this cozy soup with something extra alongside! Try our 10-minute naan pizzas or tortilla pizzas for something easy and delicious. If you love a good side salad, try pairing it with this warm brussels sprout and kale salad or this Tuscan artichoke salad.

More Cozy Soups to Try

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Tuscan Kale & Chickpea Soup
Italian Minestrone Soup
Vegetarian Pasta E Fagioli