This hearty cream of chicken and mushroom soup is exploding with flavor from the variety of fresh herbs. It incorporates wild rice and three different vegetables, making it a nutrient-rich balanced meal all in itself.

Fall has shown its face in Pittsburgh. This past weekend the temperature dropped into the 60’s. We went to the high school to watch the boys soccer team play, and I sat in the stands wrapped in a blanket to stay warm. It was so much fun!

The cooler weather also got me in the mood for soup!  I spent Sunday morning making a big pot of cream of chicken and mushroom soup, then ate it while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers play on TV. It was a perfect fall Sunday.

This soup was a big hit in my house, so I decided to share it on my blog. It’s a simple recipe that’s flavored with some of my favorite fresh herbs and spices.

How To Make Cream Of Chicken And Mushroom Soup With Wild Rice

As with most of my homemade soups, this recipe includes a combination of complex carbohydrates, protein and dietary fats so that its hearty enough to be a meal all by itself. It also contains three different vegetables and is flavored with a variety of fresh herbs.

Prepping The Ingredients

To make this soup, start by gathering all of the ingredients. I suggest measuring everything beforehand so that you’re sure you have everything you need before you start. It also makes cooking so much easier when the ingredients are prepped and ready to go.

Prep the chicken breast by trimming any visible fat and cutting them into large pieces. Set aside, then use a separate cutting board to dice the carrots, onions and fresh herbs. You’ll also want to rinse the mushrooms under cool water and trim any rough stems.

Once everything is measured and ready-to-go, it’s time to start cooking.

Sauté The Vegetables

Heat the oil in a large pot, then add the onions and garlic. Stir them together and allow to cook for ~5 minutes, or until they are soft and begin to brown. When ready, add the mushrooms to the pot. Stir the ingredients together and continue to sauté until the mushroom begin to brown.

Add The Broth, Chicken, Rice, Carrots And Herbs

Once those are sautéed, add the chicken broth and water, followed by the chicken, wild rice, carrots, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for ~45 minutes.

Once the soup has simmered, use a pair of thongs to remove the large pieces of cooked chicken. Pull it apart using a fork, then put it back into the pot.

Add The Milk, Parmesan Cheese and Spinach

To create the creamy base, pour the milk into the soup mixture and add the parmesan cheese. Stir until well combined, then add the spinach. Cover the pot to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes.

Serve

Remove the soup from heat and portion into soup bowls.  Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of thyme and rosemary, then serve!

This cream of chicken and mushroom soup with wild rice is a balanced meal in itself and is packed full of nutrition. I like to add a few seasoned croutons for texture and a bit of crunch. You can also serve it with crusty bread or a few of your favorite crackers.

Re-Heating Cream Of Chicken And Mushroom Soup

This soup can be re-heated for quick, balanced meal throughout the week. However, because it incorporates rice, the broth will continue to absorb into the ingredients as it sits.  When re-heated, it will resemble more of a chicken and rice stew than a broth soup.  It tastes great that way, but if you prefer a soup base, just add some additional broth before re-heating.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving Of Soup

This recipe makes a total of 16 cups of cream of chicken and mushroom soup. The nutrition information that I’m providing is for a 2-cup serving. That hearty portion provides 400 calories, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 30 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat. It also provides 10% of the daily value for calcium, 15% of the daily value for potassium and 15% of the daily value for iron.

It’s also lower in sodium than most soup recipes, with only 330 mg per serving.

I hope you enjoy this flavorful soup as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think. You might also enjoy my turkey, bean and pasta soup, butternut squash bisque or my hearty, homemade wedding soup.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cream Of Chicken And Mushroom Soup With Wild Rice

This hearty cream of chicken and mushroom soup is exploding with flavor from the variety of fresh herbs. It incorporates wild rice and three different vegetables, making it a nutrient-rich balanced meal all in itself.

Author: Heather Mangieri, RDN, CSSD

Ingredients

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 25 ounces chicken breast, raw, boneless, skinless
• 1 1/2 cup dry wild rice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms
• 8 carrots, medium, diced
• 1 onion, medium, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large sauce pan, then add the onions and the garlic. Cook ~ 5 minutes, until soft and browned, then stir in the mushrooms. Stir until well combined and the mushrooms begin to brown.
• Add the water, chicken broth, wild rice, carrots, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Stir well.
• Use a clean cutting board to cut the chicken into large pieces, then add to the soup mix. 
• Bring to a boil, then simmer on the stove top for ~ 45 minutes.
• Using thongs, remove the large chicken pieces from the soup. Use a fork to shred the chicken, then return it to the pot.
• Add the whole milk, Parmesan cheese and the spinach to the soup mix and stir until blended. Cover and bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Remove soup from heat and portion into soup bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of thyme and rosemary. Enjoy.

Notes

*NOTE: This soup is delicious re-heated and makes a great meal for the week. As the soup sits, however, the liquid will be absorbed and will resemble a chicken and rice stew. It tastes great that way, but if you prefer a soup base, you may want to add additional broth before re-heating.

• Recipe Makes: 16 cups of soup
• Serving Size: 2 cups
• Servings Per Recipe: 8

 

• Nutrition Facts (per serving): 400 calories, 40 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 0 g added sugars, 30 g protein, 13 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 10 % DV for calcium, 15% DV for potassium, 15% DV for iron

 

• Meal Planning Servings: 2.5 CHO; 4 PRO; 2.5 FAT

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