Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• uncooked wild rice, rinsed↗0.75 cup
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts↗1 pound
• mirepoix (chopped celery, carrots, and onions)2 cup
• cloves garlic, minced↗2
• chicken broth↗5 cup
• poultry seasoning1.5 teaspoon
• garlic powder↗1 teaspoon
• onion powder↗1 teaspoon
• Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base↗1 tablespoon
• butter↗6 tablespoon
• all purpose flour↗4 tablespoon
• whole milk↗1.5 cup
• salt↗0.5 teaspoon
• heavy cream↗0.75 cup
• your favorite bread for dunking! essential.

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Load Up The Crockpot: Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, mirepoix, garlic, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and bouillon in a slow cooker.

2. 2

   Cook Time: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. If you’re able to: remove the chicken after 3 hours to prevent overcooking. Cut into bite-sized chunks or shreds; set aside in the fridge. Otherwise, just shred chicken in the crockpot after 6 hours. It will still turn out great. When it’s done, the wild rice grains should be opened up, and there should be a small amount of liquid left (see photo above).

3. 3

   (30 min before serving) Warm Up The Milk: Warm the milk in the microwave for 60-90 seconds – this makes the bechamel in the next step smoother.

4. 4

   Make the Bechamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture cook out for a minute. Add 1/2 cup of milk, whisk, and let it thicken slightly. Repeat until all the milk is gone and you’re left with a creamy thickened base. Season with salt.

5. 5

   Bring it Together: Add the bechamel, chicken, and heavy cream to the slow cooker. Stir to distribute.

6. 6

   Finishing Touches: Add extra broth or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper, or a dash of sherry for something more grown-up and fancy (my family actually prefers this without the sherry, though). Serve it with bread. We love this recipe and make it all the time. So cozy and so good!