Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is the time of year when things get a little wonky because it’s gray, and just plain cold. (Unless you are blessed to live in a state that stays warm all year.) We are still about 2 months away from spring. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, I might cry. I can’t promise that I won’t. The world is monochromatic for crying out loud!
Thankfully, we know it won’t last. We’ve got a soup chock full of colorful vegetables, chicken, and amazing wild rice to help you through this blah time of year. Chicken and Wild Rice go together like peanut butter and jelly or chocolate and peanut butter! Add some color into your January, and make this soup!
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients:
4 chicken leg quarters
1 48 oz carton of chicken broth
1 32 oz carton of chicken broth
4 carrots
5 celery stalks
1 onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups wild rice
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: Parsley for garnish
1. In a 6 quart pot, brown the chicken leg quarters, 2 at a time, over medium high heat. Once browned, remove from the pot and set aside.
2. Drain off all but two tablespoons of the chicken fat from the pot.
3. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme to the pot.
4. Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes.
5. Add the chicken leg quarters back to the pot with 48 ounces chicken stock.
6. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer.
7. Let simmer for 2 hours.
8. After 2 hours, remove the chicken legs and separate the meat from the bones and skin. Set the meat aside and discard the bones and skin.
9. Add the remaining chicken stock to the pot and let simmer for another hour.
10. In a separate pot, prepare the wild rice to the package instructions.
11. Dice the chicken meat and stir into the soup. Remove the bay leaves.
12. Add your desired amount of rice to a bowl and ladle about a cup of the soup over the top. (This will ensure the rice does not get mushy in the soup pot.)
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 48 oz carton of chicken broth
- 1 32 oz carton of chicken broth
- 4 carrots
- 5 celery stalks
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups wild rice
- Optional: Parsley for garnish
- In a 6 quart pot, brown the chicken leg quarters, 2 at a time, over medium high heat. Once browned, remove from the pot and set aside.
- Drain off all but two tablespoons of the chicken fat from the pot.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme to the pot.
- Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the chicken leg quarters back to the pot with 48 ounces chicken stock.
- Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer.
- Let simmer for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove the chicken legs and separate the meat from the bones and skin. Set the meat aside and discard the bones and skin.
- Add the remaining chicken stock to the pot and let simmer for another hour.
- In a separate pot, prepare the wild rice to the package instructions.
- Dice the chicken meat and stir into the soup. Remove the bay leaves.
- Add your desired amount of rice to a bowl and ladle about a cup of the soup over the top. (This will ensure the rice does not get mushy in the soup pot.)
What’s your favorite broth soup? Let us know in the comments section!
Crystal is the founder of Simply Playful Fare. She has been in the kitchen for as long as she can remember. She has a degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing.
Love soups, love chicken, love wild rice. This soup is bound to be a winner for the family. I’ll be makiing it this weekend. Thaks for sharing it at Full plate Tursday where I found you. Linda
Thanks Linda! The hardest part of the recipe is working with the chicken, but that’s not too bad. I’d love to know what you think!