Chicken Vegetable Soup Wild Rice (Printable)

Tender chicken, wholesome vegetables, and nutty wild rice in a savory, warming broth. Perfect comfort food.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

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

→ Grains

02 - 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
10 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Liquids

11 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices & Herbs

12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

→ Other

17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken pieces and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
04 - Add wild rice, zucchini, green beans, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Add frozen peas and simmer for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The wild rice adds a nutty chew that makes each spoonful far more satisfying than ordinary chicken soup, trust me on this one.
  • You can customize the vegetable mix based on whatever looks freshest at the market, making it adaptable to any season.
02 -
  • Wild rice needs the full cooking time to open up properly, so resist the urge to rush this step or youll end up with hard, inedible grains.
  • Adding the peas at the very end prevents them from turning mushy and dull green, a mistake I made several times before learning better.
03 -
  • If you have time, simmer the chicken bones and skin separately in water with aromatics while prepping ingredients, then strain and use this stock in addition to your broth for incredible depth.
  • A splash of lemon juice or a tablespoon of white wine vinegar added just before serving brightens all the flavors in a way that seems magical but is just good chemistry.

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