Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

 

Ingredients 

• ▢1 Tbsp olive oil or butter, for stovetop method only
• ▢1 small onion, diced
• ▢2 medium carrots, diced
• ▢3 ribs celery, diced
• ▢4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or stock
• ▢1 lb chicken breasts, or shredded rotisserie chicken for stovetop
• ▢1 cup uncooked wild rice
• ▢8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas)
• ▢1 tsp dried thyme
• ▢1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• ▢1/4 tsp dried mustard
• ▢1 tsp salt
• ▢1/2 tsp pepper
• ▢1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, or heavy cream
• ▢Garnish with fresh thyme right before serving

Directions

To make in your Crock Pot:

• Combine all ingredients, except for the coconut milk, to the bowl of your crock pot (you'll want to use chicken breasts or thighs), cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.
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• Once the rice is done cooking, shred the chicken and mix in the coconut milk.  Top with fresh thyme and serve!

To make in your Instant Pot:

• Just like in the crock pot instructions, add all the ingredients (except for the coconut milk) into the bowl of your Instant Pot, cover, and cook on manual (high pressure) for 30 minutes.
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• Once it’s done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release by carefully placing the valve in the venting position to release the rest of the steam.
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• Carefully remove the lid, take out the chicken and shred it using two forks.  Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot, pour in the coconut milk and mix everything well.  Let those flavor sit and marinate together for a few minutes before serving.

To make on the Stovetop:

• Drizzle olive oil (or butter) in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and sauté onion, carrots and celery until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes, then add in the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
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• Next, pour in the chicken broth and add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil (for the stovetop method, I like to use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken that I add once the rice is done cooking).
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• Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, letting the soup simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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• Once the rice is cooked, mix in the coconut milk and shredded chicken, taste and add additional seasonings, as-needed.  Top with fresh thyme and enjoy!