Chicken Wild Rice Soup

When it’s cold outside and you’re craving something cozy, hearty, and nourishing—this Chicken Wild Rice Soup hits the spot every single time. A copycat inspired by the Panera favorite, this recipe brings all the creamy comfort of the original while staying dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and egg-free!

Even better? It’s easy to make on the stove, in the Instant Pot, or the Crock Pot—so you can pick what fits your day best. 

This wholesome soup is loaded with simple ingredients: tender chicken, hearty wild rice, and a mix of fresh veggies all simmered in flavorful broth. The rich, creamy texture comes from a clever blend of vegan cream or coconut cream and steamed cauliflower—no dairy needed!

We use chicken bone broth to make this soup high protein for the win! And yes, it’s totally freezer-friendly, so you can make a big batch and enjoy it again on those busy weeknights when cooking just isn’t happening.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Panera Copycat flavor: All the creamy comfort, none of the gluten or dairy.
• Simple, real ingredients: Nothing fancy or hard to find—just wholesome goodness.
• Flexible cooking methods: Make it in your Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or on the stove.
• Family-approved: Even picky eaters will love this cozy bowl.
• Meal prep win: It freezes and reheats beautifully for quick lunches or dinners.

Ingredients

You’ll love how easy and pantry-friendly this Chicken Wild Rice Soup is! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Olive oil – to sauté those veggies to perfection.
• Yellow onion, celery, and carrots – the classic soup trio that builds rich flavor.
• Garlic – because every good soup starts with garlic. I make my life easier by using pre-minced garlic like this one from Walmart. 
• Boneless skinless chicken breast – tender and protein-packed. Use the highest quality chicken breast you can afford. Chicken thighs can also work. 
• Chicken bone broth or broth – adds depth and nourishment. Bone broth is ideal, if you want a higher protein soup. You can make your own using instructions like these, or buy it at Walmart or most grocery stores. If bone broth is out of your budget, you can also use regular chicken broth. 
• Wild rice mix – hearty, nutty, and full of texture. Please note this is a wild rice mix, not just wild rice, which will have different cooking times. I used and enjoyed this one you can find at Walmart. 

• Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash – for that perfect savory balance. I *adore* Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute and get at least 3 bottles every time I go to Trader Joe’s. You can find details on this spice and all my Trader Joe’s favorites here. But, if that’s not accessible to you, use regular old Mrs. Dash from Walmart which has a similar seasoning blend. 
• Salt, pepper, and thyme – to round out all the flavors.
• Nutritional Yeast – an optional seasoning that can give a dairy-free depth of flavor to the soup. You can leave out if you don’t have it, but it is a delicious touch to make this soup the most flavorful. I get mine at Trader Joe’s (best flavor and cheapest), but you can also find it at Walmart. 
• Vegan cream or coconut cream – for creamy goodness without dairy. I find Vegan cream easily at my local Walmart like this one. But, if you can’t find that, you can also use unsweetened canned full-fat coconut cream instead. 
• Steamed cauliflower – blended in for extra creaminess and veggies! Trust me on this one. I zero percent like the taste of cauliflower. And, it’s also fantastic blended into sauces to make soups rich and creamy without a thickening agent like cornstarch. Bonus veggies no one will know are there = added fiber and nutrients!

How to Make It

Making Chicken Wild Rice Soup couldn’t be easier, whichever method you choose:

Instant Pot:

1. Sauté the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic right in the pot set on Sauté.
2. Add the chicken, broth, wild rice, and seasonings (not the cream and cauliflower). Seal and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
3. While soup is cooking, blend together in a high powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice and cream until very smooth. 
4. Remove the chicken to shred, then stir in the blended cauliflower and vegan or coconut cream. Add additional salt or garlic salt to taste. 

Crock Pot:

1. Add all ingredients except the vegan cream and cauliflower.
2. Add the chicken, broth, wild rice, and seasonings (not the cream and cauliflower). Seal and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, or until the rice is tender.
3. While soup is cooking, blend together in a high powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice and cream until very smooth. 
4. Stir in the blended cauliflower and cream before serving.

Stovetop:

1. Sauté veggies in olive oil. Add the chicken, broth, wild rice, and seasonings (not the cream and cauliflower). 
2. Simmer until everything is tender, about 55 minutes. 
3. While soup is cooking, blend together in a high powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice and cream until very smooth. 
4. Finish with the blended cauliflower and cream for that perfect creamy texture.

Other Easy Soup Recipes You Will Love

If you’re loving this Chicken Wild Rice Soup, here are more of my cozy, family-approved favorites that are ALL gluten-free + dairy-free:

• Budget Beef Stew
• Creamy Potato Soup
• Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Marry Me Chicken Soup

This Chicken Wild Rice Soup truly brings comfort food to the table—without any of the gluten, dairy, or fuss. It’s the perfect easy, family-friendly dinner that warms you from the inside out and makes your kitchen smell amazing.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Autumn @wholefoodfor7

An EASY nourishing soup that is high in protein and fiber, but also cozy and delicious! Make it in the Instant Pot, crock pot, or on the stove.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 1.5-cup servings

Calories 345 kcal

1/2x1x2x3x

Ingredients

 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil; omit for crock pot
• 1 medium yellow onion finely diced, see notes
• 2 sticks celery finely diced
• 2 medium carrots or 3 cups baby carrots; finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast about 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup wild rice blend
• 5 cups chicken bone broth for high protein, or regular chicken broth; divided
• 2 tablespoons Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast optional, but recommended for more flavor
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or garlic salt; additional to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup heavy vegan cream or an equal amount unsweetened canned full-fat coconut cream
• 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen riced cauliflower steamed, about 2 cups steamed

Instructions

 

Instant Pot

• Sauté the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in the Instant Pot set on Sauté.
• Add the chicken, 4 cups of broth, wild rice, and seasonings (not the cream, remaining 1 cup broth, or cauliflower). Seal and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
• While soup is cooking, blend together in a high-powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice, remaining 1 cup broth, and cream until very smooth. 
• Remove the chicken to shred, then stir in the blended cauliflower and vegan or coconut cream. Add additional salt or garlic salt to taste. 

Crock Pot

• Add all ingredients except the vegan cream , 1 cup of the broth, and cauliflower.

  Note: You can saute the veggies (onion, carrots, celery, garlic) in the oil on the stove over medium heat till onion is tender and fragrant, about 7-8 minutes before adding to the slow cooker, for the maximum flavor. Or, if you are in a hurry, just add it all straight to the crock pot - it will still get tender and taste great!
• Seal and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, or until the rice is tender.
• While the soup is cooking, blend together in a high-powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice, remaining 1 cup broth, and cream until very smooth. 
• Remove the chicken to shred, then stir in the blended cauliflower and vegan or coconut cream. Add additional salt or garlic salt to taste. 

Stovetop

• In a large soup pot over medium heat, add the olive oil . Sauté the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until onion is translucent.
• Add the chicken, broth, wild rice, and seasonings (not the cream, remaining 1 cup broth, and cauliflower). Simmer until everything is tender, about 55 minutes. 
• While the soup is cooking, blend together in a high-powered blender the steamed cauliflower rice, remaining 1 cup broth, and cream until very smooth. 
• Remove the chicken to shred, then stir in the blended cauliflower and vegan or coconut cream. Add additional salt or garlic salt to taste. 
• FREEZE: This soup freezes great! Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

SALT: Every broth and seasoning mix has a different salt content. Be sure to add additional salt, to taste, at the end to keep it flavorful! I love mine with a hearty grind of Trader Joe's garlic salt grinder. Yum!

NOTE: I love to chop my onion, celery, and carrots together quickly in my large food processor for about 10 seconds. Saves time and makes them chopped nice and small, which my kiddos prefer. 

Nutrition

Calories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 28gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 623mgPotassium: 654mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2691IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 3mg

Keyword dairy-free, easy, egg-free, gluten-free, main dish

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