Mushroom and Rice Chicken Soup

This comforting mushroom and rice chicken soup is an elevated version of the classic chicken and rice soup. Finished with fresh herbs and a dollop of yogurt, it'll surely be the star of the meal!

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Chicken breast: Provides the main protein source for the soup and contributes to making the soup more filling.
• Wild rice blend: Adds texture and a nutty flavor to the soup.
• Parmesan rind: Infuses the broth with a rich, savory umami flavor.
• Mixed mushrooms: Provide an earthy, meaty flavor and texture. You can use any combination of mushrooms including cremini, button, porcini, oyster, or shiitake.
• Milk: Adds creaminess to the soup without making it too heavy. For a richer soup, substitute it with heavy cream.
• Fresh herbs: Use a combination of parsley, dill, and chives to add bright, fresh flavors to the soup.
• Greek yogurt: Adds a creamy, tangy element when dolloped on top. You can substitute it with sour cream if preferred.

Substitutions and variations

• Grains: Feel free to substitute the wild rice blend with brown rice, quinoa, couscous, or orzo.
• Vegetables: You can add other vegetables such as spinach, kale, or green bell peppers.
• Dairy-free: Replace milk with coconut milk and Greek yogurt with dairy-free yogurt or dairy-free sour cream.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare mushrooms

Let's start by preparing the mushrooms. Instead of sauteing mushrooms and letting them simmer in the soup, I chose to caramelize them first. Caramelizing mushrooms allow the flavors to intensify and add extra umami to the soup. Plus, they look gorgeous with that sear!

You can use a mixture of mushrooms such as oyster, chanterelle, cremini, and lobster. When cooking the mushrooms, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. If the pan is overcrowded, the mushrooms will steam rather than caramelize.

Set aside the mushrooms while the soup simmers.

Step 2: Make broth

For the soup broth, we're going to use onion, celery, garlic, thyme, turmeric, red chili flakes, and lemon zest to add flavor. You can also use dried thyme instead of fresh.

Saute all the vegetables in a large pot or Dutch oven until tender, then add the spices and saute until aromatic.

Add the chicken breast to the pot along with the chicken broth, wild rice, and parmesan rind. It may sound odd to add parmesan rind but trust me, it's a great source of flavor. I do not recommend skipping this ingredient. You can try adding parmesan rind to other soups, and you'll quickly notice the difference.

Step 3: Simmer

Continue to simmer the soup until the rice is tender, about 35-40 minutes. You can also use regular rice if you're not a fan of wild rice. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time since regular rice will cook much quicker.

Next, remove the chicken from the soup and shred it. Add the caramelized mushrooms, parsley, dill, and milk, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. I used milk instead of heavy cream to make the soup healthier, but you can also use the real stuff.

Add back the chicken and give the mushroom and rice chicken soup a final seasoning.

Portion the soup into bowls and place a generous dollop of plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt will add extra creaminess to the soup along with a hint of acidity.

One bite of this mushroom and rice chicken soup and I was in heaven. This meal was everything that I wanted, creamy, savory, and incredibly satisfying. I ate a bowl every day for a week and I'm still craving some more!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: Like all soups, this dish will taste better as it sits so you can cook it the day before and reheat it the following day.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Mushroom and Rice Chicken Soup

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stew

Servings: 8

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless
• 1 cup wild rice blend
• 2 ounces parmesan rind
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves smashed
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms oyster, cremini, button
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
• ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Instructions

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, turmeric, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and thyme, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 1 minute.
• Add chicken breast, wild rice, and parmesan rind to the pot. Pour chicken broth and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook for 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Meanwhile, cook mushrooms. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add rosemary, garlic, and lay mushrooms in an even layer. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. You may need to cook mushrooms in batches. Continue to cook until browned, then flip mushrooms over and brown on the other side. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Remove chicken from soup and shred with 2 forks.
• Add milk, parsley, dill, and mushrooms to soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken back to pot and season soup with salt and pepper.
• Portion mushroom and rice chicken soup into bowls. Place dollop of Greek yogurt on top and garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Notes

Parmesan rind is the hardened outer edge of the wheel, which imparts umami to the soup.