Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)

A rich, creamy soup featuring chicken, mushrooms, and wild rice with Parmesan.

# 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, low sodium preferred
09 - 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

→ Dairy

10 - 1/2 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 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, but comes together in just over an hour.
  • The wild rice gives you that nutty, earthy texture that makes the soup feel substantial without being heavy.
  • You can make a huge batch and actually enjoy eating the leftovers because the flavors only get better.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step for either the chicken or mushrooms—that golden color is where all the deep flavor comes from, and rushing it will make your soup taste flat.
  • Wild rice actually does need that full 35 to 40 minutes to soften properly, so resist the urge to speed it up because everything else is done.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh just before you need it—pre-grated cheese has stuff mixed in that prevents it from melting as smoothly, and you deserve creamy, silky soup.
  • When you're adding the broth, go slow and stir constantly to build a smooth base without lumps, because fixing lumpy soup mid-way is annoying.
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