Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Delicious wild rice soup with chicken and mushrooms simmered in a creamy wine-flavored sauce is easily fall and winter's comfort food!

Whether the weather is cold or hot a good soup is always a delicious option! When I was in the Philippines, I practically and literally knew only one kind of soup and that is "sopas" - the Filipino version of Macaroni soup. I don't know why. Perhaps because sopas is my family's perennial favorite and so it's the only one that I can remember eating while I was growing up.

However, since I came to the USA I realize that the variety of soup that one can make is practically endless. One of the fist soup that I have ever tasted in the US and which I completely fell in love with is the Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. I remember having tasted it at one of our ladies' fellowship. The host served us this good-looking and hearty soup but I didn't  know what it was then. After I tasted this soup, I knew I had to make it and I had done so previously though I haven't really blogged about it until today. I guess, it's better late than never.

My husband prefers the soup without any milk or cream; he's not a big dairy fan. For me it's lovely either way. Choose what you like based on your palates' need.  Stay warm this winter and don't forget to make this delicious soup!

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoons Oil
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Onions, sliced
1 cup Carrots, sliced (use baby carrots for convenience)
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Mushrooms (8 oz), sliced

1 cup White Wine
3 cups cooked Wild Rice
2 Whole Chicken Breasts, cooked and sliced into chunks or shredded
8 cups Chicken broth or water
1 cup Half and Half or Cream, or to taste
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch diluted with 2 Tablespoons Water              

Procedure 

Melt butter in oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Let the garlic sizzle for a few seconds. Add the chopped onions, celery,  and carrots and saute for  about 5 minutes or until the onions are tender. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender. Pour in the white wine. Deglaze and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce to about half. 

Stir in the rice and chicken. Pour the chicken broth or water. Simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes. Add the cream or half and half, if using, and cook just until heated. Hubby prefers it without the cream so feel free to leave it out if that is what you wish.

In the meantime, add the water to the cornstarch and mix. Stir the cornstarch into the soup and let it simmer until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve garnished with some chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve with a crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Yum!

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