Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is hearty, tasty, and the perfect Fall or Winter recipe. It is quick and easy to cook up chicken, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice in your pressure cooker. Warm up the whole family with this flavorful dish you can serve in the traditional way or make a few changes to be gluten-free and dairy-free.

Easy pressure cooker soup is served with a spoon in a white bowl.
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Table of Contents

For the past few years I have been OBSESSED with making all of the Instant Pot soups.

This Chicken Vegetable Soup has been a particular favorite comfort food.

There’s just something about a creamy broth loaded with vegetables and lean chicken that makes your belly want to do a happy dance.

While I am a creature of habit, even my go-to recipe was starting to get a tad old.

So recently I decided to change things up a bit.  I added in some wild rice in place of the potatoes and swapped out a few of the vegetables for heartier mushrooms.

And wowzers is it good!

Why You Don’t Want to Miss This Soup

It’s just hearty enough to keep you full, but light enough that you feel fueled and energized after eating.  (And don’t slip into a food coma!)

But I will give you a little warning.

While it may initially seem like there are a TON of ingredients, trust me when I say it is WORTH IT to use an array of spices and herbs.

And chances are you already have most of them hanging out in your cabinet, anyways.

Ingredients

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.

Chicken, broth, mushrooms, wild rice, onions, carrots, celery, and seasonings are the ingredients in this soup.
  • Chicken. Breasts are preferred but boneless chicken thighs may also be used.
  • Wild Rice. This hearty grain is the seed of a grass species found in the Great Lakes region of the US and is full of antioxidants and fiber, and lower in calories and carbs than its brown rice cousin. Wild rice does have a stronger, earthier taste versus brown rice which is a bit milder and nuttier in flavor. A wild rice blend will work if that is all you can find.
  • Vegetables. Celery, carrots, and onions are used for the base of the vegetable flavor in this soup.
  • Mushrooms. Hearty and meaty, these add a delightful texture and absorb a lot of the soup’s flavor.  Baby bella (cremini) mushrooms were used in this recipe, but white button can also be substituted.
  • Herbs. Dried thyme, rosemary, and oregano combine to give a ton of herbal flavor to the soup.
  • Paprika. My secret ingredient for adding a subtle kick.
  • Starch Slurry. “What’s this?” –  you may be wondering.  It’s a little dairy-free trick I like to use to help thicken up my soups.  Just before serving you’ll whisk together some warmed milk and starch to make a thickener for the soup.

Recipe Tip

While this recipe is written for a 6-quart Instant Pot, you may also easily make it in an 8-quart Instant Pot with no alterations to the ingredients or instructions.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.

Onions, carrots, and celery are diced on a cutting board.
Cut the veggies.
Onions and celery are added to the instant pot.
Add oil, onions, and celery to the pot.
  • Prep the veggies. Use a sharp knife to dice the onions and celery and slice the carrots.
  • Sauté the veggies. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and add some oil. Cook the onions and celery for 3-4 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute.
Wild rice is the main ingredient in this Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe.
Add the rice.
Chicken breasts are added to the instant pot with broth and sautéed vegetables
Submerge the chicken.
  • Add the rice and broth. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure no bits or pieces are stuck.  Mix in the wild rice along with the dried herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Add the chicken. Submerge the chicken breasts in the liquid. It’s important that you place the chicken IN the broth, so it gets juicy and not dried out.
Mushrooms and carrots are added to the pressure cooker
  • Top with the veggies. Layer the carrots and then mushrooms in the pot. Place the carrots in first and then the mushrooms so the mushrooms do not get overcooked.
  • Cook the soup. Close the lid, ensure the pressure release valve is sealed, and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the contents sit for 10 minutes for a natural pressure release before opening up the pressure valve. 
Cooked chicken is removed and shredded on a cutting board.
Shred the chicken.
Ingredients are cooked in the pressure cooker and mixed together.
Thicken with a starch slurry.
  • Shred the chicken. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken breasts. Then, shred each one with two forks. Carefully return the chicken to the soup.
  • Thicken the soup. A simple solution to thicken soup without heavy cream is warm milk (cashew, soy, or almond milk) and a couple of tablespoons of starch (tapioca or corn starch) whisked together to form an incredible thickening agent. Add this mixture to the soup and then stir until it is well incorporated.

Stove Top Instructions

Don’t have an Instant Pot?  Well you’re in luck!  It’s actually super easy to convert this pressure cooker recipe into a stovetop one.

Here are the basic changes you will need to make:

  1. Use a large Dutch oven or pot.
  2. Sauté over medium-low heat.
  3. Bring pot of ingredients to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid.
  5. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken shreds easily with forks.
A ladle is full of chicken, mushrooms, vegetables, rice, and broth before serving.

Meal Prep and Storage

  • Prep-Ahead: Soup is one of the best recipes to meal-prep. Simply make this wild rice mushroom soup the day before and refrigerate it until you’re ready to enjoy.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in a glass or plastic container for up to 3-5 days.
  • Freezing: Be sure to let the soup cool completely and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours.  Then store the soup in freezer-safe plastic containers for up to 3-4 months.
  • Reheating: Soup is the absolute BEST when reheated in a pot on the stove.  However, if you’re in a hurry simply pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and it will be ready to enjoy!

FAQs

What is wild rice soup made of?

Wild rice is not really rice, rather the grain of a specific species of grass. When added to soup along with chicken, vegetables, and creamy mushroom and thickened with a starch slurry, you have a delicious and cozy meal.

Do you cook the rice before adding to soup?

No! You don’t have to cook rice before adding it to a soup. In fact, allowing the rice to cook with the broth and other ingredients gives the rice so much more flavor.

What kind of rice is best for soup?

Wild rice is delicious in soup, and so much better for you than traditional varieties. However, most types will work from white to brown to basmati to jasmine. Just be aware of the cook times as some take longer than others.

Recipe Tips

  • Double it up. This recipe is perfect for meal-prep, so make extra for later.
  • Don’t skip. You might be tempted to throw everything in the pot at the same time, but sautéing and cooking in stages adds a depth of flavor.
  • Adjust as needed. Pay attention to the cooking time if you use a different rice. Increase or decrease the salt depending on the broth.
  • Keep it warm. Avoid adding cold milk directly to a hot soup, or it could curdle.
  • Serve it up. This soup is delicious on its own with some crackers, or alongside sandwiches or salads.
A white bowl is loaded with instant pot chicken wild rice soup for a dairy-free meal.

What to Serve with Wild Rice Soup?

Though you don’t need anything else with this soup, it is delicious with any of these accompaniments:

Other Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Didn’t get enough yummy soup yet?  No worries – I’m just as obsessed as you are and have a TON of other pressure cooker soup recipes you might enjoy:

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 6 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is hearty, tasty, and the perfect Fall or Winter recipe. It is quick and easy to cook up chicken, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice in your pressure cooker.
Easy chicken wild rice soup is full of carrots, mushrooms, shredded chicken, savory flavors, and wild rice.
Yield 5 servings
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Print Pin Comment
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons oil avocado or olive
  • 3 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 1 sweet onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 6 cups chicken broth regular sodium
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • ½ teaspoon thyme dried
  • ½ teaspoon rosemary dried
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano dried
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 – 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
  • 4 carrots peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pound baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup cashew milk warmed
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca starch or cornstarch

Instructions 

  • Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function and add oil, onions, and celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute.
    2 tablespoons oil, 3 stalks celery, 1 sweet onion, 4 cloves garlic
  • Pour in chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure no bits or pieces are stuck.
    6 cups chicken broth
  • Mix in wild rice along with the dried herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
    1 cup wild rice, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon rosemary, ¼ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Submerge chicken breasts in the liquid.
    1 – 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
  • Layer carrots and then mushrooms in the pot.
    4 carrots, 1 pound baby bella (cremini) mushrooms,
  • Close the lid, ensure the pressure release valve is sealed, and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the contents sit for 10 minutes (10 minute NPR) before releasing the pressure valve. Shred the chicken breasts when the soup is done cooking.
  • While soup is cooking, whisk together the warmed milk and starch until smooth. Add starch slurry to soup and stir until well incorporated.
    1 cup cashew milk, 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • Serve chicken wild rice soup with crackers or homemade croutons.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 6 votes

Notes

  • Milk: Dairy free or regular milk work.
  • Prep-Ahead: Soup is one of the best recipes to meal-prep Simply make this wild rice mushroom soup the day before and refrigerate it until you’re ready to enjoy.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in a glass or plastic container for up to 3-5 days.
  • Freezing: Be sure to let the soup cool completely and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours.  Then store the soup in freezer-safe plastic containers for up to 3-4 months.
  • Reheating: Soup is the absolute BEST when reheated in a pot on the stove.  However, if you’re in a hurry simply pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and it will be ready to enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 53g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 2701mg, Potassium: 1795mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 8603IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Comments

  1. This recipe looks cool. I will definable going to cook it. Hope I will be able to make soup just like it appears in the image.
    Regards,

    Reply