Parmesan Mushroom Chicken Wild Rice (Print View)

Comforting blend of chicken, mushrooms, wild rice, and Parmesan in a rich, creamy broth.

# Components:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), diced
02 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) 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 oz 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

# Method:

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 excess liquid has evaporated.
03 - Stir in diced chicken, wild rice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until wild rice is tender and chicken is fully cooked.
05 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle 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 it took hours, but honest to goodness, you'll have it on the table in just over an hour.
  • Wild rice gives it actual texture and substance, so you're not just drinking warm broth.
  • The Parmesan melts into the cream at the end, creating this silky, almost luxurious finish that feels special without any fussy techniques.
  • Naturally gluten-free if you watch your broth, and it freezes beautifully for those weeks when you need dinner to already be decided.
02 -
  • Wild rice takes significantly longer to cook than regular rice, so don't skip the rinsing step or shortchange the simmering time, or you'll end up with crunchy disappointment instead of tender grains.
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh, not pre-shredded, because the anti-caking agents in packaged versions prevent it from melting smoothly into the cream, leaving you with grainy pockets instead of silky texture.
  • The mushrooms have to cook down and release all their liquid before you add the broth; this concentrated step is what gives the soup its deep, savory character rather than feeling watery or one-dimensional.
03 -
  • If your soup seems too thick after sitting, add more broth a quarter cup at a time; wild rice continues absorbing liquid even after cooking, so leftovers might need a gentle thinning.
  • Taste aggressively as you approach the end, especially before adding salt, because the Parmesan will sneak up on you with its own salty contribution and you don't want to overdo it.
Return