Minnesota Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Name: Minnesota Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Upper Midwest · Minnesota
Ingredients: ¾ cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; 1 cup half-and-half; Salt and black pepper to taste

By Staff Writer · October 6, 2026

Wild rice soup is a Minnesota comfort-food favorite. Earthy rice, mushrooms and chicken make this creamy version substantial enough for dinner.

Porcini and wild rice soup — Porcini wild rice soup, a related dish illustrating wild rice; this photograph is not the chicken recipe. Photo: J Doll · Porcini Wild Rice Soup (140491721) / CC BY 3.0. Displayed without cropping or color edits; scaled to fit the page.

Serves 6 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: about 70 minutes

State & Nation home-kitchen version. Timing is approximate; use the doneness cues in the directions.

Ingredients

¾ cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup half-and-half
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Cook wild rice separately according to its package, usually 45–60 minutes; drain excess water.
Meanwhile melt butter in a pot. Cook onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 6 minutes.
Stir in flour for 1 minute. Slowly add stock and thyme; simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add cooked rice and chicken. Heat 5 minutes, then stir in half-and-half and warm gently without boiling.
Season and add extra stock if needed for a spoonable consistency.

Regional background: Learn about this regional favorite. Ingredient quantities and directions above are a separately written home-kitchen version.

Explore all 10 regional soups →