There are nights when I don’t really feel like cooking. Not because I don’t love it, but because life just… feels heavy. You know those days? When you’ve been running around doing a million things, and suddenly it’s dark out, and all you want is something warm that doesn’t ask too much of you.
That’s how this soup came to be.
I remember standing in my kitchen one of those evenings, half-tired and half-hungry, staring at what was left in the fridge. Some mushrooms that were getting close to their last day, a bit of cooked chicken from the night before, half an onion, and a small container of cream I’d opened and forgotten about. The kind of random stuff that usually makes you sigh. But somehow, that night, it turned into something really special.
This soup is one of those quiet meals. It doesn’t shout for attention. It’s not fancy, it’s not trendy — it just feels right. The smell alone makes your house feel like someone’s been taking care of you all day. It’s thick and creamy, but not in that heavy way — it’s soft and rich and earthy from the mushrooms, with the rice giving it this beautiful texture that keeps every spoonful satisfying.
There’s something about wild rice that just feels grounding. Like you’re eating something that’s been part of people’s tables forever. It takes its time to cook, but I think that’s part of what makes this soup feel like a ritual — you can’t rush it. You stir, you taste, you check it, you add a little more broth or a little more salt. It’s the kind of meal that invites you to slow down.
It’s not perfect. Sometimes it’s thicker than I meant it to be, sometimes I get distracted and the bottom sticks a little, sometimes I throw in too much cheese because I just don’t have the energy to measure. But that’s real cooking, right? It’s messy, and beautiful, and honest.
And when you sit down with a bowl of this soup — maybe with a piece of bread you warmed in the oven or just a handful of crackers — it’s not just food. It’s comfort. It’s something you made for yourself that says, you’re okay now.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter (extra for sautéing)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup wild rice (or wild rice blend)
1½ cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 cup milk or cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Directions
1️⃣ Start with the mushrooms.
Melt butter in a big pot over medium heat and toss in the mushrooms. Let them cook for a good while — don’t rush this part. You want them to get golden and smell deep and earthy. That’s your flavor base right there. Take them out and set them aside.
2️⃣ Sauté your veggies.
Add another small knob of butter to the pot and throw in your onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until they’re soft and starting to get a little color — maybe 8–10 minutes.
3️⃣ Add garlic and thyme.
Cook just until fragrant — 30 seconds to a minute. That moment when the garlic hits the butter… yeah, that’s the one.
4️⃣ Build the soup.
Pour in the broth, add your wild rice, cooked chicken, and the mushrooms you set aside. Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat low and let it simmer. About 25–30 minutes should do it, or until the rice is tender and the kitchen smells like a hug.
5️⃣ Make it creamy.
Stir in your milk or cream and Parmesan cheese. Let it all come together until it’s smooth and just a little thickened. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
6️⃣ Serve and breathe.
Ladle it into bowls, sprinkle some parsley on top, and maybe add a grind of black pepper. Sit down. Take a sip. Let the world slow down for a minute.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Calories: about 480 per serving
Recipe FAQs
1. Can I use leftover rotisserie chicken?
Yes, totally. That’s what I do 90% of the time. It saves effort and adds a ton of flavor since it’s already seasoned. Just toss it in near the end so it doesn’t overcook.
2. I don’t have wild rice. What else can I use?
Use whatever you’ve got. White rice, brown rice, even barley or quinoa if you want to switch it up. The soup doesn’t care — it’s forgiving like that.
3. Can I skip the cream?
Sure can. The soup will just be lighter and a bit more brothy. Or you can splash in some coconut milk for a different vibe — it’s actually really nice.
4. How long does it keep?
About 3–4 days in the fridge. It thickens up a lot overnight, so when you reheat it, add a little extra broth or milk to loosen it. It’s even better the next day.
5. What’s the best way to serve it?
Honestly? A big bowl, a spoon, and quiet. Maybe a slice of crusty bread or a biscuit if you’re feeling cozy. And if you can, eat it while it’s still steaming and you can see the little curls of steam rise — that’s the good part.
Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter (extra for sautéing)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup wild rice (or wild rice blend)
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 cup milk or cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Directions
- Start with the mushrooms.
- Melt butter in a big pot over medium heat and toss in the mushrooms. Let them cook for a good while — don’t rush this part. You want them to get golden and smell deep and earthy. That’s your flavor base right there. Take them out and set them aside.
- Sauté your veggies.
- Add another small knob of butter to the pot and throw in your onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until they’re soft and starting to get a little color — maybe 8–10 minutes.
- Add garlic and thyme.
- Cook just until fragrant — 30 seconds to a minute. That moment when the garlic hits the butter… yeah, that’s the one.
- Build the soup.
- Pour in the broth, add your wild rice, cooked chicken, and the mushrooms you set aside. Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat low and let it simmer. About 25–30 minutes should do it, or until the rice is tender and the kitchen smells like a hug.
- Make it creamy.
- Stir in your milk or cream and Parmesan cheese. Let it all come together until it’s smooth and just a little thickened. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Serve and breathe.
- Ladle it into bowls, sprinkle some parsley on top, and maybe add a grind of black pepper. Sit down. Take a sip. Let the world slow down for a minute.
