Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)

Rich, creamy soup with chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan for a comforting meal.

# What you need:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced
02 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
03 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Grains

04 - 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
07 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
10 - 3 celery stalks, sliced
11 - 10 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
12 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
13 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

14 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# How to make it:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
02 - Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes until mushrooms are tender and most liquid has evaporated.
03 - Stir in the diced chicken, wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • Each spoonful delivers layers of flavor that build and evolve - earthy mushrooms first, then nutty rice, followed by the gentle richness of Parmesan that lingers just long enough to make you crave another bite.
  • On busy weeknights when the world feels overwhelming, this soup somehow manages to be both simple to prepare and complex enough in flavor to make dinner feel like a genuine achievement.
02 -
  • Wild rice requires significantly more cooking time than regular rice, so resist the urge to check for doneness too early - patience yields the perfect chewy-tender texture that makes this soup so satisfying.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it stands because the wild rice absorbs liquid even after cooking, so consider adding extra broth when reheating leftovers to maintain that perfect consistency.
03 -
  • Store Parmesan rinds in the freezer and add one to the soup while it simmers - its like a flavor bomb that infuses the broth with incredible richness before being removed at the end.
  • Rather than using diced chicken, brown bone-in chicken thighs first, then simmer them whole in the broth, removing them later to shred the meat - the bones contribute remarkable depth to the soup.
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