There are some recipes that hit the spot every time. This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a new cozy weather staple recipe! Creamy, dreamy, packed full of veggies and fresh herbs, and so easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot. It’s also topped with buttery garlic mushrooms for the ultimate flavor bomb! This recipe can be modified with a Paleo, Keto, and Whole30 option.
The coziest and comforting Soup:
It’s that time of year where we all want to put on sweat pants, grab a cozy blanket, and spend an evening hanging out by the fire. Or maybe that’s just me? I love this time of year because I am the ultimate lover of all things cozy!
If I am trying to describe that kind of night I love by using a recipe, this recipe for Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup would be it!!! It’s the ultimate comfort food dish, while still light and healthy. As a nutritionist, my favorite recipes are those comforting dishes that I can make lighter. The creamy thickness of the soup is comforting and delicious, and the addition of fresh herbs has this soup bursting with flavor! Those garlic mushrooms on top are like icing on the cake.
It’s also so perfect for those evenings when we don’t feel like cooking. Because it’s so dang easy. Like throw everything in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker easy. You guys are going to want to bookmark this one and make it ASAP!!
How to make Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup:
Let’s gather up these easy ingredients:
- chicken breast
- onion
- carrots
- celery
- wild rice
- rosemary (dried or fresh)
- thyme (dried or fresh)
- sage (dried or fresh)
- bay leaves
- sea salt
- chicken broth
- heavy cream, half and half, or coconut cream (full fat)
- fresh parsley
- Bella mushrooms
- garlic
- butter, ghee, or avocado oil
The only thing we really need to prep is chopping our onion, celery, and carrots.
The best part of this recipe is that we toss everything into the Instant Pot without having to cook a thing. In the Instant Pot, toss in the veggies with the chicken and uncooked rice, add in your herbs, and then top with chicken broth. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes!
When you have about 10 minutes left on your IP timer, start making the mushrooms. Heat up a large skillet to medium high heat. Add in the oil or butter and saute the garlic for 1 minute. Then add the mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently until the mushrooms are nice and soft, browned, and flavorful. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Once the soup is done, use a quick release. Once the steam is completely released, remove the lid. Remove the chicken and shred with a fork, place it back into the pot. Stir in the cream and add in fresh parsley. Let cook on the warm setting for about 5 minutes, then pour into individual bowls. Spoon the mushrooms on top!
Slow Cooker variation:
The slow cooker version is equally simple, but just takes longer and requires some planning in advance. Add the veggies, chicken, rice, herbs, and chicken broth into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Make the mushrooms like you did above. Once cooking is complete, stir in the cream and fresh parsley.
Paleo, Whole30, Keto variations:
Paleo and Whole30: For a paleo and Whole30 variation, omit the wild rice. Instead, once cooking is complete, toss in 2 cups of cooked cauliflower rice. Instead of cream or half and half, use full fat coconut cream.
Keto: For a keto variation, limit the carrot to just one diced carrot and add an additional stalk of celery. Omit the wild rice and toss in 2 cups of cooked cauliflower rice after IP cooking is complete. Use heavy cream, half and half, or coconut cream to finish it off. You can also top with parmesan cheese!
Serving and Storing:
Serve with a side salad or crusty bread. A few of my favorite side dishes for this soup:
This soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
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Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is creamy, dreamy, packed full of veggies and fresh herbs, and so easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot. Paleo, Whole30, and Keto options!
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 4 stalks celery (diced)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 1 cup wild rice (uncooked)
- 2 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tbsp fresh)
- 2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tbsp fresh)
- 2 tsp dried sage (or 2 tbsp fresh)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp butter or avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 10 oz sliced bella mushrooms
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, half and half or coconut cream
Instructions
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Begin by adding the chicken breast, chopped veggies, wild rice, herbs, sea salt, and chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
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When you have about 10 minutes left of cook time, cook the mushrooms. Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat. Add the butter or oil, then the garlic. Saute the garlic for one minute, and toss in the sliced mushrooms. Saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until browned and softened. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
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Once cook time is complete on the IP, remove the lid. Remove the bay leaf and remove the chicken. Shred the chicken with a fork, then return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in cream, half and half, or coconut cream. Add the fresh parsley. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
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Pour into individual bowls to serve. Top with garlic mushrooms and additional salt to taste.
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For the slow cooker: Toss the chicken breast, chopped veggies, wild rice, herbs, sea salt, and chicken broth into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Cook the mushrooms as mentioned above. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in cream, half and half, or coconut cream. Add the fresh parsley. Let sit for another 5 minutes. Pour into individual bowls to serve. Top with garlic mushrooms and additional salt to taste.
I am anxious to give this delicious-sounding recipe a try! Just need clarification, please… is the chicken cut into bite size pieces before or after cooking? Seems like before would make sense, but I want to make sure the cook time is not effected by my making the wrong choice!
No, use whole breast and then shred after cook time. I’ll clarify!!
Hi, I’m making this tonight! It looks fantastic! But am I missing something in the instructions? Is the chicken supposed to be cut into small pieces? Do you shred it? You wouldn’t have a whole breast in the soup right? What’s missing in the instructions? Thank you!!
Hi there, shred the chicken after you do a quick release. Sorry, I’ll clarify in the directions!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing!!
i think this is tagged incorrectly…. Rice is not allowed on Whole 30. Soup sounds delicious – will try when I am not doing Whole 30.
Hi Cathy! It’s only tagged Whole30 and Paleo because I give options on how to make it that way in the blog post. But yes, wild rice is not Whole30 approved.
So easy to make and packed with really delicious flavors! And the mushrooms on top *chef’s kiss*
Love hearing that, Tatiyana! Thank you!
I love this soup! Made in soup pot instead and used nutpods for the creamer as we are GF/DF. It is Amazing! Thank you!!
I LOVE this soup! It’s so easy and delicious and I’ve made multiple times and shared the recipe with all my friends. One question though- the recipe calls for wild rice without further specification. The picture looks like a wild rice BLEND. Do you make it with a mix or pure wild rice?
I’ve made it with both a blend, and pure wild rice! IN the photo it is a blend.
Wow, this was delicious! The mushrooms on top are amazing!
Thanks, Jessica!
How long do I cook if chicken is frozen?
Same cook time, it will just take longer to come to pressure.
This was good for a quick and easy soup! Next time I’m going to use the sauté function for the garlic, then throw the mushrooms in with everything else to keep the dishes minimal. I ended up just dumping the mushrooms in at the end anyway.
Made this last night and it was very good. I had some issues but I think it is because I had instant wild rice… so a little thin at first. I had added some extra garlic and onion powder to the beginning of the soup because my onion was quite small.
The sage was too strong and not enough chicken flavor. So I added 4 bouillon cubes and some salt. I also added canned carrots at the end instead of at the beginning and just warmed them for a little bit.
Next time I will sear all veggies before I start. I just love that extra flavor it gives.
But all in all, it was really good. Just had to tweak it a bit.
Didn’t use any cream of any kind at the end of the recipe and it tastes shockingly delicious!!!
Glad I doubled everything.
This stuff is awesome! I made it as you have it on the recipe except for halving the onion and cutting the thyme to 1/4 of the amount listed (mainly scared because I accidentally over thymed another dish and didn’t want my family to kill me…)
I didn’t do the mushrooms but maybe I’ll do those next time.
My only question is: on the serving size what volume of soup is in each final serving or how much volume does it have in the end?
I didn’t pay attention to how much volume it makes and I need to track the calories for someone that’s trying to put on some weight.
Anyway, amazing thank you we loved it.
Giving this a try tonight. Is there any reason the mushrooms must be cooked separately instead of all inside the instant pot together? Will it be a huge difference not to do so? Trying make things as simple as possible over here…
I like to saute them as I think it builds an extra layer of texture and really deep flavor! They can go in the Instant Pot, but will just be a different and softer texture (without that yummy garlic).