Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice (Printable)

Rich, comforting soup with chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan in a creamy broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz), diced
02 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
03 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Grains

04 - 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
07 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
10 - 3 celery stalks, sliced
11 - 10 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
12 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

14 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until mushrooms are tender and most liquid has evaporated.
03 - Stir in diced chicken, wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour chicken broth into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until wild rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, even though it comes together in about seventy minutes.
  • Wild rice and Parmesan create this deeply satisfying umami flavor that makes you want to linger over each spoonful.
  • The cream swirls through at the end, turning everything silky and rich without ever feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Don't rush the mushroom cooking step or you'll lose half the flavor; let them release their liquid and let that liquid disappear again so you concentrate their earthiness instead of diluting it.
  • Wild rice takes the full time to become genuinely tender, so resist the urge to add it later thinking it'll cook faster; it won't, and you'll end up with chewy uncooked grains scattered through the soup.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan right before you need it; store-bought pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that make the soup taste chalky instead of smooth.
  • Don't skip the step of letting the mushroom liquid evaporate back into the pan; this concentrates their umami flavor and makes the entire soup taste deeper and more complex.
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