This Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is made without butter or heavy cream, but has all the creamy comforting goodness you crave!
I had a craving for some creamy, comforting soup and we had plenty of leftover rotisserie chicken. Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup was just what was needed!
I love to make this soup whenever I have leftover chicken or turkey. It uses leftovers and additional ingredients I already have on hand. Getting a great meal on the table without having to run to the grocery store is a win-win for me!
This soup has all the makings of a comforting meal without the use of any heavy creams or butters. It is lighter than a traditional chicken and wild rice soup but still delivers on taste.
If you are a big fan of creamy chicken and rice dishes, this is definitely one to make! It’s up there with our favorites including Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe!
A simple, healthier recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup has always been a beloved soup of mine, and I’d order it without hesitation whenever it was on the menu. Wanting to make it a bit healthier, I set out to figure out a way to make the soup without all the butter and cream. We have been eating so many rich foods lately, so a lightened up version was definitely needed.
This version of chicken and wild rice soup differs from most typical recipes. You won’t find any fatty dairy items here. Instead olive oil and milk take their place without compromising on flavour and creaminess. I also use bone broth in place of stock but regular chicken broth can be used as well.
Ingredients in Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Olive oil
- Wild rice
- Cooked chicken (or leftover turkey)
- Seasoning: poultry spice, dried thyme, bay leaf, parsley
- Chicken stock
- Spinach
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
How to make Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
The full details of this recipe are in the recipe card below but it really just comes down to a few simple steps.
- Saute the veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and add the vegetables. Saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and seasonings: Add the rinsed rice, poultry seasoning, thyme and bay leaf. Sautee for 2 minutes.
- Add the broth: Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-high and let cook for approximately 30 minutes.
- Add the chicken: Stir in the chopped chicken and continue to cook until the rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Add more water if needed.
- Stir in milk, spinach and parsley: Add the spinach, parsley and milk and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
I hope you enjoy this cozy soup as much as we do!
Bon appetit!
-Cathy
You may also like:
Creamy Vegetable and Tortellini Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice rinsed
- 3 cups chicken cooked, chopped
- 1 teaspoon poultry spice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken broth or bone both
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 2 cups milk
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chop the carrots, celery and onion into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or a dutch oven. Add the vegetables and saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rinsed rice, poultry seasoning, thyme and bay leaf. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-high and let cook for approximately 30 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped chicken and continue to cook until the rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Add more water if needed.
- Add the spinach, parsley and milk and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
Just finished making this soup and it is absolutely amazing! So much flavour!! I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you, Koula! So happy you loved it! 🙂