Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Mushroom (Print Version)
Hearty slow cooker soup with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and wild rice in a creamy broth.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms
03 - 1 cup diced carrots
04 - 1 cup diced celery
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Grains
07 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
→ Liquid & Dairy
08 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
15 - 3/4 tsp black pepper
→ Thickener
16 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
# How-To:
01 - Add the chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together to combine evenly.
03 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and the wild rice is tender.
04 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
05 - In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw starch taste.
06 - Slowly whisk the heavy cream into the roux and heat until the mixture thickens, then stir it into the slow cooker.
07 - Stir well, re-cover, and continue cooking on LOW for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until the soup is creamy and heated through.
08 - Remove and discard the bay leaf, taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The wild rice gives every spoonful an addictive chewy texture that regular rice just cannot replicate
- Six hours of hands off cooking means you come home to a meal that feels like someone else made it for you
02 -
- Wild rice takes significantly longer to cook than regular white rice so do not substitute them thinking the timing will be the same
- If your roux looks lumpy when you add the cream just keep whisking vigorously and it will smooth out within a minute
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the slow cooker so it does not release excess water and dilute your broth
- Stirring in a handful of fresh spinach right before serving adds nutrition and a pop of green without changing the flavor profile