Autumn Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Creamy chicken and wild rice soup with plenty of protein and veggies, perfect for a comforting meal.
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cups chopped spinach, optional
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled + cubed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1.5–2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 5 cups chicken broth
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- Black pepper
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp salt + more to taste
📦Other(1)
- 2 carrots, diced
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
289
Protein
32g
Carbs
23g
Fat
7g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook chicken in the Instant Pot and wild rice separately on the stove according to package directions.
- 2
In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil for 4–5 minutes.
- 3
Add sweet potato, garlic, chicken broth, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork-tender.
- 4
Stir in the cooked chicken and cooked wild rice.
- 5
Add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted.
- 6
Stir in the milk and spinach and cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is warm and creamy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook chicken to exactly 165°F internal temperature (measured at the thickest part), then rest for 3-4 minutes before shredding; this prevents carryover cooking above 170°F which causes proteins to squeeze out moisture and creates dry, stringy texture.timing165°F, 3-4 minute rest
- ✓Sauté your mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) for a full 5 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots begin to soften; this allows maillard reactions to develop fond (browned bits) that add 30-40% more savory depth than undercooked vegetables.timing5 minutes, 30-40% flavor increase
- ✓Cut sweet potato into ¾-inch cubes (not smaller) because they'll soften in exactly 10-12 minutes to match broth simmer time; smaller pieces dissolve into mush and thicken soup unevenly, while larger pieces remain firm.technique¾-inch cubes, 10-12 minutes
- ✓Temper the cream cheese before adding by whisking 2-3 tablespoons of hot broth into it first, then stir into soup; cold cream cheese seizes and creates grainy lumps instead of a smooth emulsion when shocked by 180°F+ liquid.technique2-3 tbsp hot broth pre-tempering
- ✓Add spinach in the final 2-3 minutes and maintain at a bare simmer (180-190°F); prolonged heat above 160°F converts chlorophyll to pheophytin, turning spinach from bright green to dull olive-brown within 5 minutes.timing2-3 minutes, 180-190°F
Share this recipe
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Autumn Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Creamy chicken and wild rice soup with plenty of protein and veggies, perfect for a comforting meal.
📝 Ingredients
🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cups chopped spinach, optional
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled + cubed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1.5–2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 5 cups chicken broth
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- Black pepper
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp salt + more to taste
📦Other(1)
- 2 carrots, diced
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
289
Protein
32g
Carbs
23g
Fat
7g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook chicken in the Instant Pot and wild rice separately on the stove according to package directions.
- 2
In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil for 4–5 minutes.
- 3
Add sweet potato, garlic, chicken broth, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork-tender.
- 4
Stir in the cooked chicken and cooked wild rice.
- 5
Add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted.
- 6
Stir in the milk and spinach and cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is warm and creamy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook chicken to exactly 165°F internal temperature (measured at the thickest part), then rest for 3-4 minutes before shredding; this prevents carryover cooking above 170°F which causes proteins to squeeze out moisture and creates dry, stringy texture.timing165°F, 3-4 minute rest
- ✓Sauté your mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) for a full 5 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots begin to soften; this allows maillard reactions to develop fond (browned bits) that add 30-40% more savory depth than undercooked vegetables.timing5 minutes, 30-40% flavor increase
- ✓Cut sweet potato into ¾-inch cubes (not smaller) because they'll soften in exactly 10-12 minutes to match broth simmer time; smaller pieces dissolve into mush and thicken soup unevenly, while larger pieces remain firm.technique¾-inch cubes, 10-12 minutes
- ✓Temper the cream cheese before adding by whisking 2-3 tablespoons of hot broth into it first, then stir into soup; cold cream cheese seizes and creates grainy lumps instead of a smooth emulsion when shocked by 180°F+ liquid.technique2-3 tbsp hot broth pre-tempering
- ✓Add spinach in the final 2-3 minutes and maintain at a bare simmer (180-190°F); prolonged heat above 160°F converts chlorophyll to pheophytin, turning spinach from bright green to dull olive-brown within 5 minutes.timing2-3 minutes, 180-190°F