Last Updated on October 22, 2025 by Carrie Korem, FNTP
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of creamy wild rice soup with chicken on a cold day! It’s comforting and nourishing and made with simple, real-food ingredients that support your thyroid and immune health.
This soup is gluten-free and uses arrowroot instead of flour to keep it creamy. Plus, soaking the wild rice overnight makes it easier to digest and helps your body absorb more minerals.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cozy, nutrient-packed soup:
- 1 cup wild rice, soaked overnight with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons butter (or ghee)
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon each dried thyme, rosemary, and sage
- 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups bone broth or meat stock
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- ½ cup heavy cream
How to Make Wild Rice Soup with Chicken:
This recipe takes a little time because you need to soak the rice, but is so worth it!
- Soak the rice: About 8 hours before cooking, place wild rice and vinegar in a bowl and cover with water. This step makes a big difference (see why below!).
- Cook the rice: Drain the rice, then cook it in boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cover and let them sweat for about 30 minutes.
- Add herbs and broth: Stir in the thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper until fragrant. Add the broth and chicken, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken, shred or chop, and return it to the pot.
- Thicken the soup: Mix the arrowroot flour with ¼ cup of water, then whisk in a ladle of hot broth to temper it. Slowly stir the mixture into the soup.
- Add the finishing touches: Stir in the cream, cooked rice, lemon zest, and juice. Season to taste and serve warm.
Why It’s Important to Soak the Rice Before Cooking:
Soaking wild rice overnight helps reduce phytic acid, a naturally occurring compound in grains and seeds. Phytic acid can block the absorption of key minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium and it’s also hard on digestion.
Taking this simple step makes your soup more nourishing and easier to digest and is totally worth the extra time!
Make This Wild Rice Soup with Chicken Gluten-Free:
This recipe is naturally gluten-free since it uses arrowroot flour to thicken instead of wheat flour. Arrowroot gives the soup a rich, creamy texture without adding any gluten or heavy thickeners.
If you need a dairy-free option, use ghee or duck fat instead of butter and full coconut milk (not a coconut beverage) in place of heavy cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Rice Get Mushy in Soup?
Wild rice holds its texture beautifully, especially when it’s cooked separately before adding it to the soup. Avoid overcooking, and stir it in at the end for the best consistency.
How Can I Thicken This Soup?
Arrowroot flour is the perfect gluten-free thickener. Just whisk it with water before adding it to the hot broth to prevent clumping.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken to Save Time?
Yes! You can absolutely use organic rotisserie chicken instead of cooking fresh chicken breasts. Just shred the meat and stir it in during the final steps to warm through.
Can I Use Leftover Chicken or Turkey?
Definitely! This recipe works well with leftover chicken or turkey, especially after the holidays. Simply add the cooked meat in toward the end, so it stays tender and flavorful.
The Healthiest Broth for This Soup
You can use bone broth or meat stock for this recipe. I love using my homemade meat stock because it’s lower in glutamates and gentler on the gut which is especially helpful for anyone with autoimmunity or histamine issues.
Both options are rich in minerals, collagen, and amino acids that support thyroid health and immune balance.
More Delicious Soup Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
If you love this wild rice soup with chicken, here are a few other reader favorites:
This creamy wild rice soup with chicken is one of those recipes you’ll want to make all season long. It’s nutrient-rich, comforting and perfect for busy weeknights or slow weekends at home.
Once you try making it with soaked wild rice and real ingredients, you’ll see how much better homemade can be!
Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Chicken
- Prep Time: 9 hours
- Cook Time: 55
- Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Soup
- Diet: Gluten Free
For the Soup:
- 3 tbs unsalted organic butter (or duck fat for dairy-free)
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary and sage
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups bone broth or meat stock
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbs. arrowroot flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Instructions
About 8 hours before you want to make the soup, put the wild rice and vinegar in a medium bowl and cover with water. Let sit for 8 hours and drain.
Bring a pot of water to boil and place rice in it. Cook, according to the package directions until tender. Drain. This can be done a day or two ahead of time and the rice stored in the refrigerator.
Place the butter in a large pot and heat over low to melt. Add the celery, carrots, onion and garlic and stir to combine. Put the lid on the pot and let the vegetables sweat for about 30 minutes over low heat.
Remove the lid and stir in the herbs and sea salt and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the broth and add the chicken breasts. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium and continue simmering for about 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken and cut or shred into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken back to the pot.
Add the lemon zest and juice.
Put the 2 tbs arrowroot in a small measuring cup with 1/4 cup of water and stir well. Add a ladle-full of the hot broth and whisk (this tempers the arrowroot so it doesn’t clump when you ad it to the soup). Slowly pour the arrowroot mixture into the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the cream and cooked rice. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Serve hot.
