Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Printable)

Hearty soup with tender chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan for a deeply flavorful, comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced
02 - 1 cup 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 diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until mushrooms are tender and excess liquid has evaporated.
03 - Stir in diced chicken, wild rice, fresh thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove bay leaf from the pot. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pot means one pot to wash, and honestly that's half the reason I make it on weeknights.
  • The wild rice gives it substance without feeling heavy, and the Parmesan turns everything into this savory, umami-rich kind of comfort.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of letting mushrooms cook down their liquid because that's where deep, savory flavor comes from, and rushing it means thin soup.
  • If your Parmesan seizes or becomes grainy when you add it, you went too hot. Low and slow with the cream and cheese is the only way.
03 -
  • Make it a day ahead and refrigerate it, because the flavors deepen overnight and the wild rice absorbs more of the broth, making each bite more substantial.
  • If soup seems too thick when reheating, add broth a splash at a time rather than cream, which keeps the balance of flavors intact.
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