Grandma Wylddane's Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This creamy wild rice soup recipe uses 1 cup of raw wild rice, vegetables, and half-and-half to create a thick, comforting, and nutty soup. Using fingerling potatoes adds a creamy, hearty texture that pairs well with the earthiness of the wild rice. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
• 1 pound boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces

• 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced or sliced
• 1 cup onion, diced (about 1 medium)
• 1 lb fingerling potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1-2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon 
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are softened. If using garlic and thyme, add them now and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon
2. Brown chicken pieces
3. Stir in the one can of cream of mushroom soup
4. Add Potatoes: Add the fingerling potatoes to the pot. 
5. Add Rice and Broth and the sauteed aromatics back to pan: Stir in the 1 cup of rinsed wild rice and 4 to 6 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour.
6. Add Cream: Stir in the half-and-half. Heat through for 5 minutes, but do not boil the soup once the cream is added to prevent curdling.
7. Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste

​Makes 6 to 8 servings.  Enjoy.