Here it is: my favorite Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup. I know I’ve been sending a lot of soup recipes your way lately. What can I say? It’s been a cold, cold winter. And not just in Colorado. It snowed two inches on the Las Vegas Strip yesterday. What is happening? Sheesh. Time for a beach break.
But first, soup. This is a good one! I think mushrooms are kind of a magical ingredient. Full of mysterious umami, they are earthy and savory, with lots of interesting little nuances depending on the mushroom variety you choose. For this dish I went with meaty creminis (you can also use portobellos, a larger version of the same shroom), and elegant, smoky shiitakes. Plus an extra handful of dried, reconstituted mushrooms for a concentrated hit of mushroom-iness.
Fresh sage and rosemary are gorgeous when paired with mushrooms. I use a lot here – 2 TB each – to ensure they hold their own amidst the other powerful flavors.
Mushroom soup is lovely on its own, but many of the recipes I see are silky, ultra-pureed versions. I wanted this soup to be a hearty, one-pot meal. Hence the additions of chicken and rice, which add both layers of flavor and satisfying stew-like heft to the soup.
I love the nutty flavor of wild rice, but in large quantities it can be a little … chewy. So I used this Lundberg Wild Rice Blend, which mixes wild rice with brown and a couple other exotic varieties. It works really well here, but feel free to use whatever type of rice you prefer (though I’d avoid starchy short-grain varieties, which can get gummy).
There’s a fair amount of chopping and prep, but once that’s dispensed with, this soup comes together very easily, with half the cook time devoted to simmering, so you can get the dishes done. Or have a glass of wine.
Not to mention that blitzing it all with an immersion blender is a great way to get out your end-of-the-day frustrations. (You can puree in a regular blender, too, but it’s not nearly as fun).
Serve it with a big leafy salad, some garlic bread, and maybe a few fried sage leaves if you want to be fancy.
It’s the coziest, warmest meal you’ll have all week, I promise. Even if you’re in Vegas.
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Creamy Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Category: soup, entrees
Description
This stick-to-your-ribs soup is loaded with fresh herbs, hearty chunks of chicken, and comforting rice – all enfolded in a cozy, savory mushroom base.
Ingredients
1 cup wild rice blend, cooked according to package instructions
2 TB olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
1 tsp kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB fresh rosemary, finely minced
2 TB fresh sage, finely minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup dried mushrooms (any variety)
1 lb cremini or portobello mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade preferred)
1/2 cup half and half (or coconut milk for a dairy-free option)
fried sage, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cook the wild rice blend according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
In a small bowl, place the dried mushrooms and cover with 1 cup boiling water. Set aside to steep.
In a large soup pan or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced chicken and sprinkle it with salt. Sear for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and evenly brown. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add the onions and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about five minutes, until onion begins to soften. Add garlic, rosemary, sage, and pepper and cook a minute more. Turn the heat up to medium-high and pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits of chicken on the bottom of the pan. Cook a minute or two, until the liquid is reduced by about half.
Tumble in the fresh mushrooms and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to cook down and release their liquid, 7-10 minutes.
Remove the dried mushrooms from their soaking liquid (reserving the liquid) and chop them roughly. Add them to the pot, along with soaking liquid and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, or transferring batches to a blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency (I prefer to leave some of mushrooms chunky for a more stew-like texture). Stir in the reserved chicken and rice, then the half and half or coconut milk. Return the pot to medium heat until soup is heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed (depending on the saltiness of your broth, you may need an additional teaspoon or more of salt).
Serve hot, garnished with a swirl of half and half or coconut milk and a frizzle of fried sage, if desired.
Notes
… I chose cremini and shiitake mushrooms for their deep, earthy flavors, but if you have trouble finding either, you can substitute an equal amount of white button mushrooms.
… this soup can be made vegan by omitting the diced chicken – just proceed directly to cooking the onions – and using vegetable broth and coconut milk.
I made this today with the cold coming in. Hearty, delicious & healthy. Love it!
Thanks, Cynthia!