This is a family recipe — the kind that gets made without a written copy, passed down through memory more than measurement. Everyone in the family makes it a little differently, and that's kind of the point.
It's a kettle recipe at its core — built by eye more than by measuring cup, the kind of soup that gets a little thicker or a little heartier depending on what's on hand that day.
What You'll Need
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- ½ cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- Pepper, to taste
- Chicken bouillon, if you want it richer (optional)
Used in this recipe
Soup Grade Minnesota Wild Rice – 1 lb
Soup Grade wild rice breaks down gently as it simmers, naturally thickening the broth and giving the soup that hearty, earthy backbone. It's what this recipe was built around.
Shop Soup Grade Wild RiceHow It Comes Together
- Melt the butter in a large kettle.
- Whisk in the flour with a little of the broth until smooth — this is your thickening base.
- Stir in the vegetables, the cooked chicken, and the cooked wild rice.
- Add the rest of the broth and the half and half. Season with pepper, and bouillon if you're using it.
- Simmer until the vegetables are soft and the soup has thickened to your liking.
- Too thick or too thin? Adjust with a little more broth or half and half.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
- If you're poaching your own chicken, save that cooking liquid — a couple cups of it go into the pot along with the rest of the broth.
- Any grade of wild rice works here. Soup Grade breaks down a bit and thickens things naturally; Long Grain or Hand Harvested hold their shape if you'd rather have more bite in the bowl.
- This is a from-scratch, use-what-you've-got kind of soup. Trust it more than the recipe card.