Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Print Version)

Creamy soup featuring tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and savory Parmesan cheese in every satisfying spoonful.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 8.8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

07 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 6 cups chicken broth, preferably low sodium
09 - 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

→ Dairy

10 - 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Fats

11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Thickeners

12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

→ Herbs & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Salt to taste
17 - Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add diced chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to pot. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook for 4 additional minutes until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
03 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir, and cook for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour flavor.
04 - Gradually pour in chicken broth while stirring to combine and prevent lumps. Add wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, and pinch of salt.
05 - Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice becomes tender.
06 - Return cooked chicken to pot. Stir in milk and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like you simmered it all day, but really you just chopped vegetables and stirred a pot for an hour.
  • The wild rice gives it this nutty, chewy texture that makes every spoonful feel a little more interesting than regular soup.
  • Parmesan melts into the broth and creates this savory, creamy finish without needing heavy cream or complicated roux techniques.
  • Leftovers somehow get better the next day when the rice soaks up all that mushroom and garlic flavor.
02 -
  • Wild rice really does take the full thirty-five to forty minutes, so don't try to rush it or you'll end up with crunchy, undercooked grains.
  • Add the milk and Parmesan at the very end and keep the heat low, or the dairy can curdle and ruin the texture.
  • If the soup gets too thick after sitting, just stir in a little extra broth or milk when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-shredded for the creamiest, smoothest finish.
  • Brown the chicken in batches if your pot is crowded so it actually browns instead of steaming.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end if the soup tastes flat; it brightens everything up without tasting citrusy.
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