I first made this recipe at least 4 years ago and found it on a blog. Little Spice Jar. It is a crock pot recipe and it was perfect the first time I made it. Since then, I have made it for my clients, my volunteer groups and over and over for my family. Try it out! Here’s the link to the site http://Little Spice Jar. 

She has an instant pot version for this on her site, but here is her crock pot version. Check out her recipes they look delicious and I give them two thumbs up.

 

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Author Marzia from Little Spice Jar

Serves 8-10

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• ¾ cup celery, chopped
• ¾ cup carrots, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons salt-free poultry seasoning (see note)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk (see note)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Rinse the rice under running water. Place the uncooked rice, chicken breast, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, chicken broth, water, and poultry seasoning in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on the high setting for 3-4 hours or on the low setting for 7-8. In the last ½ hour of cooking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Allow to cool slightly before shredding using two forks.
2. When the rice is done cooking, add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. Melt the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute. Whisk the mixture slowly while adding in the milk. Continue to whisk until all lumps have dissolved. Allow the mixture to thicken and become creamy.
3. Add this creamy mixture to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add additional water or milk to your preference if the consistency is too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

MARZIA’S NOTES

I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute for my poultry seasoning.

To make the soup richer and creamier, replace some or all of the milk with half and half. 

Keep in mind the soup will thicken as it sits. Left overs should be placed in a tupperware container and refrigerated. Additional milk or water may be added to adjust the consistency of the soup when reheating.

My Notes: I use less water than the original recipe and for a lighter version you can thicken with just 1/4 cup half and half instead of making a béchamel.