Amazing 1 Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup is about to become your absolute hero on busy weeknights! Hi everyone, I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with figuring out how to get huge, cozy flavor out of simple chicken recipes that don’t require me standing over the stove. After years of trying to rush dinner, I learned the slow cooker is your best friend.

This soup is the perfect example of that philosophy. You toss everything in before work, and when you walk back in the door, you are greeted by the smell of earthy mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and that beautiful sage infusion. It’s incredibly hearty, but honestly, the effort level is almost zero. Trust me, once you taste this creamy, satisfying bowl, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start making it sooner!

Gathering Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Making this incredible Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup is truly half the battle when you have all your components ready to go. Because this recipe cooks for so long, we want to make sure our vegetables are prepped nicely so they break down just right and infuse that amazing flavor into the broth. Don’t skimp on the mushrooms here—they add a wonderful depth that canned broth usually lacks.

We’re using simple, fresh produce that you can usually find year-round, but the real flavor punch comes from the fresh sage we use. It makes everything taste like a cozy autumn evening, even if it’s pouring rain outside!

Essential Components for Your Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed well
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

If you can’t find fresh sage, which I highly recommend because it smells divine while cooking, you can use about 1 teaspoon of dried rubbed sage instead. Don’t confuse that with dried thyme; we need 2 teaspoons of dried thyme if you skip the fresh sage completely. We are using skinless, boneless chicken breasts here because they shred beautifully after hours in the slow cooker. If you happen to have thighs, they work too, but breasts are my go-to for this recipe! If you are looking for other ways to use chicken breasts, check out these tips for juicy baked chicken breasts.

Also, please make sure you rinse that wild rice! It helps remove some of the starch so the soup doesn’t end up gummy.

Equipment Needed for Perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

You really don’t need much fancy gear for this dish, which is part of why I love it so much! The absolute MVP here is your 6-quart slow cooker; it does 99% of the work for this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup. You’ll also need a good cutting board and a sharp knife for prepping all those veggies.

Oh, and don’t forget a meat thermometer! That’s the only way to guarantee your chicken is safe and perfectly cooked before we shred it.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Now for the magic! This is where the Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup really earns its stripes as the easiest, coziest meal you’ll make all week. Remember, we aren’t sautéing anything first—just layering and letting the machine do the heavy lifting. It’s almost too easy, I swear!

Layering the Base Ingredients

Grab your 6-quart slow cooker insert. We start by getting the main components in there. Gently place those whole chicken breasts right on the bottom. Next, scatter in all your prepped vegetables: the sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, celery, onion, and those four minced cloves of garlic. Try to spread them out somewhat evenly so they cook at the same rate.

Now for the flavor boosters! Take your rinsed wild rice and sprinkle it all over everything. Then, hit it with the seasonings: the chopped fresh sage, thyme, the bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle them evenly so every part of the soup gets that wonderful herby flavor. Don’t worry if the sage clumps a little; it will mix in fine during the long cook time.

The Slow Cooking Process and Chicken Safety Check

Time for the liquid! Slowly pour the 6 cups of chicken broth over everything you just layered in the pot. You want to pour it gently around the edges so you don’t just wash all your spices down to one spot. Put the lid on tight.

Set your slow cooker to LOW and let it run for 6 to 7 hours. I usually aim for the 7-hour mark just to make sure that wild rice is perfectly tender and nutty. When the time is up—and this is non-negotiable for food safety—you absolutely must check the chicken. Pull out those breasts and use your meat thermometer. They need to register 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally before we move on. If they aren’t there, put them back for another 30 minutes.

Shredding and Achieving Creamy Thickness

Once the chicken is safe, take the breasts out and put them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred them up nicely. While that’s happening, let’s tackle the creaminess! In a separate small bowl, whisk your 1 cup of heavy cream together with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until it’s completely smooth. Trust me on this: if you dump the cornstarch straight into the hot soup, you’ll get lumps, and nobody wants that!

Stir that creamy cornstarch mixture right back into the slow cooker. Add the shredded chicken back in too. Put the lid back on and switch the setting to HIGH for just 20 minutes. This short burst on high is just enough time to heat everything through and let that cream mixture thicken up beautifully. Before you serve, remember to fish out that bay leaf—nobody wants to bite into that!

Why You Will Love This Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• Effortless Weeknights: Minimal prep means you set it and forget it before heading out the door.
• Incredible Aroma: The house smells amazing thanks to the slow simmering of sage and earthy mushrooms.
• Hearty & Satisfying: It’s a complete meal in a bowl; that creamy wild rice is so filling!
• Perfect Texture: You get tender chicken and perfectly cooked, nutty rice every single time.

Tips for Success with Your Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I’ve made this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup more times than I can count, and over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that keep it from getting gummy or having undercooked rice. These little adjustments really make the difference between a good soup and a truly great one!

• Rinse, Rinse, Rinse That Rice: Seriously, don’t skip rinsing the wild rice. It’s coated in starch, and if you don’t wash that off, your soup ends up thick like wallpaper paste by the time it’s done cooking for 7 hours. A quick rinse in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear is all it takes.
• Don’t Over-Thicken: That final 20 minutes on high is important, but watch it closely! If you let it go too long after adding the cream/cornstarch slurry, it can get past creamy and turn gluey. If you prefer a thinner soup, just use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch instead of 2, or skip the final high cook entirely and let it sit on warm.
• The Broth Balance: Because wild rice absorbs a ton of liquid, if you are reheating leftovers the next day, you will almost certainly need to add more broth or water. When you reheat, treat it like a sponge—it soaks up liquid while sitting in the fridge. Just add a splash or two while heating to bring back that perfect soup consistency.
• Freezing Warning: I love making big batches, but I’ve learned the hard way that this specific soup doesn’t freeze well if you use heavy cream. The texture gets a little weird when thawed. If you plan on freezing half, leave the cream out entirely, freeze the base soup, and then stir in fresh cream when you reheat the portion you plan to eat.

Common Questions About Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I get asked about tweaking this recipe all the time, and honestly, that’s the fun part of cooking! We all have different pantries and different preferences, so let’s talk about making this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup work best for you. Keep your questions coming! You can find more inspiration for easy meals like this on our Pinterest page.

Can I use pre-cooked chicken in this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup?

Yes, you absolutely can cheat a little and use leftover rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked breasts! If you do that, you just skip putting the raw chicken in at the beginning. Add your pre-cooked chicken in Step 6 when you add the cream slurry. Since the chicken is already done, you only need to cook on high for 20 minutes to heat everything through, rather than the full 7 hours.

How do I make this a lower-fat creamy soup?

If you want that creamy soup texture but are trying to cut back on the heavy cream, I have a couple of ideas. You can swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk, which gives you richness without quite as much fat. Half-and-half works too, but it won’t be quite as thick, so you might need to use 3 tablespoons of cornstarch instead of 2. Remember, the cornstarch is what gives us that satisfying, thick wild rice base!

Storing and Reheating Your Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

One of the best things about this hearty soup is how well it keeps—or *doesn’t* keep, because it usually disappears so fast! But if you are lucky enough to have some left over, you need to handle it correctly, especially because of that creamy element we added at the end.

You can safely store your Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Just make sure that bay leaf is gone before you store it—we don’t want anyone accidentally finding that later! If you are interested in other great chicken soup options, check out our collection of chicken soups.

When it comes to reheating, the slow cooker is actually perfect for this, though the stovetop works great too. The biggest thing to remember, as I mentioned briefly earlier, is that the rice keeps soaking up liquid, even when cold. It will be much thicker the next day than it was right off the stove.

Storage and Reheating Guide

Storage Method	Time/Temperature	Tip for Best Results
Refrigerator	4 Days	Store in an airtight container.
Freezer	Up to 2 Months (Cream Separately)	Freeze the soup base without the cream; add fresh cream when reheating.
Reheating (Stovetop/Slow Cooker)	Medium Heat	Add a splash of extra broth or water to reach your desired consistency before serving.

If you’re reheating on the stovetop, keep the heat at medium-low and stir often so the bottom doesn’t scorch. If you put it back in the slow cooker, just put it on LOW or WARM for about an hour until it’s steaming hot throughout. That little bit of extra liquid is the secret to making day-two soup taste just as good as day-one! For more easy slow cooker meals, see our chicken recipes category.

Enjoying Your Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

That’s it! You’ve done it! You’ve managed to create a restaurant-quality meal with minimal fuss using this Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe. Now comes the fun part—eating it! While this soup is hearty enough to be a full meal all on its own, I love adding a few little extras to the bowl just before serving to boost the flavor and texture.

A sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives on top adds a bright pop of color that contrasts beautifully with the creamy broth. If you like a little tang, a tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before you take that first bite wakes up all the earthy sage and mushroom notes wonderfully. And if you have some crusty bread lying around? Forget about it! Dunking that bread into the thick, savory broth is pure comfort.

I really hope this recipe brings some easy joy to your busy week! If you try out this creamy soup, please let me know how it went in the comments below. Did you tweak the seasonings? Did the kids love it? I can’t wait to hear all about your experience with the best Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup!

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