Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I’ve made this soup quite a few times, and it’s one of my husband’s absolute favorites. The recipe is written to be gluten- and dairy-free, but we’re not strict about either, so I use what we have and what we like. That said, it’s a great recipe to follow exactly as written if those are important to you.

Either way, this is the kind of soup that feels perfect for a cozy night at home and rightfully earned it’s spot in our rotation (and on this blog).

Why I Love This Recipe

It’s so freakin’ delicious. I love that I can easily adjust the heat depending on who’s eating it. This week, I had leftovers for the kids so I added a little extra spice for my husband and me. The cayenne really does the trick.

It’s also a super simple weeknight meal and a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken. Best of all, it always seems to turn out well, which is exactly what I want from a repeat recipe.

Recipe Credit

This recipe comes from The Comfortable Kitchen by Alex Snodgrass. It’s full of cozy, family-friendly meals, plus some really great cocktail recipes. It’s one I reach for often.

While the exact version of this recipe isn’t available online, the author did share an almost identical one titled Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. All of my notes and adjustments here still apply.

The Comfortable Kitchen cookbook by Alex Snodgrass with ingredients for chicken and wild rice soup

Notes From My Kitchen

I used a quick-cooking wild rice blend, which brought the cooking time down from about 45 minutes to 15. This was a huge time saver.
I used regular milk instead of coconut milk. I stuck with arrowroot flour because I had it on hand, but regular flour works just fine here. The goal is simply a creamier broth.
I prefer using 6 cups of broth instead of 8. It’s still very much a soup, but I think it comes together better with slightly less liquid. I also used homemade broth that I already had on hand.
I accidentally added diced carrots (old habits die hard — onions, celery, carrots), and honestly, I’ll keep doing that next time. I see the author added carrots in her online version! It was meant to be.
Don’t skip the bay leaves if you can help it as they add real depth of flavor. Just remember to pull them out before serving.