Learn how to make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup with tender chicken, wild rice, mushrooms, and vegetables. Its seasoned creamy broth contains no heavy cream. Ready in less than an hour, it’s incredibly nutritious and delicious!
We also love Instant Pot chicken and rice and slow cooker chicken and rice for easy dinner!
Table of Contents
Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup is one of many favorite seasonal Instant Pot recipes. If there is a way to make a healthy, nutrient-dense soup that uses fresh wholesome ingredients, you better believe I’m going to do it!
While I love my healthy chicken wild rice soup recipe that can be made on the stovetop or slow cooker, this Instant Pot soup can be made on a whim and ready to eat within a fraction of the time it takes to simmer on the stove.
The cooked wild rice is both nutty and chewy, earthy mushrooms give incredible flavor, and the potatoes and veggies create a hearty filling bite.
Loaded with veggies, herbs and spices, this creamy chicken wild rice soup is just one more mouthwatering way to boost your immune system this season.
Ingredients and Notes
Here is a quick overview of simple ingredients you need for this pressure cooker chicken and wild rice soup recipe.
- Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. Can be raw or use up cooked leftover chicken from cooking Instant Pot whole chicken, or store bought shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Mirepoix: The flavorful combination common to soups of chopped onion, carrots, and diced celery.
- Mushrooms: Dried or fresh brown mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms or white button mushrooms could be used.
- Potatoes: Diced and adds to the creaminess and heartiness of the soup.
- Rice: Uncooked real wild rice. Can usually be found in your local grocery store, bulk store, or health food store. I do not recommend any of wild rice blends, brown rice or white rice.
- Broth: Can use Instant Pot chicken broth or water for this soup. Broth will be more flavorful.
- Seasonings: Minced garlic, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper. Poultry seasoning could be used in place of thyme.
- Prepared mustard: Prepared yellow mustard gives this soup just a small tang and depth.
- Milk: Whole milk will give this soup a little added creamy texture.
- Garnish: Chopped parsley, or dill can be used as well.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
With a prep time of only 10 minutes, this wild rice chicken soup is simple to make and is the best creamy soup ever! No flour, butter or making a roux separately required.
Combine: Add all ingredients, including nine cups chicken stock or water and uncooked wild rice to a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. Do not add milk yet or previously cooked chicken, if using.
Pressure: Cover the pot and set pressure valve to Sealing and Pressure Cook on High Pressure or Manual for 25 minutes. This is 5 minutes less than what the video recommends.
Vent: After pressure cooking time, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes then turn the valve to Venting. Do a Quick Release for the remaining pressure.
Shred chicken and thicken soup: Remove chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks. Pour milk into the Instant pot and use an immersion blender to give it a few pulses. Do this until you reach your desired thickness. Don’t forget to stir!
Serve: If you are using leftover chicken, this is when you add it into the soup. Garnish with parsley and stir. Serve nice and hot with a side of crusty bread or a side salad.
Tips for Best Results
- Freezer meal: Healthy freezer meals are great and this soup is one of them! In a large Ziploc bag, add all the ingredients (except for water, milk and parsley). Release as much air as you can. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen for 25 minutes with Quick Release. Continue by following the last step.
- Any chicken works: You can use any type of chicken, whether cooked or raw. Learn how to cut a whole chicken and use bone-in and skin on, or boneless and skinless. With pre-cooked chicken it’s best to use a chicken stock instead of water. This is because you won’t have created a broth while the chicken cooks.
- Frozen meat: You can definitely use frozen chicken. Make sure pieces are not stuck together. The delicious recipe will remain the same.
- For a 3 quart Instant Pot: Cut the recipe ingredients in half. Keep the same cook time.
Storing This Soup
Store: This Instant Pot wild rice soup makes wonderful leftovers. The flavors continue to marry over time and you’ll be eating delicious soup all week! Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Make a big batch and freeze the other half. If you have any leftovers freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer friendly container.
Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for several hours. Reheat on the stove, covered on low.
FAQs
Yes! First saute mirepoix ingredients a few minutes, then add seasonings and saute a bit longer. Add remaining ingredients except milk and mustard and simmer for 55 minutes. Remove chicken, shred.
Add milk and mustard to the pot and use immersion blender to blend desired amount. Add in chicken and serve.
The beauty of this soup is you will use an immersion blender to thicken it. If you do not have an immersion blender, work in batches and blend soup in blender. Return to the pot and stir. Repeat as necessary until desired consistency.
A soup and salad is always a great combination! Try spinach salad or lemon kale salad. Serve with french bread or whole grain toast.
Yes! Double the amount of mushrooms and use vegetable broth vs. chicken broth.
In a large airtight container or a bowl with a lid, add all ingredients (except chicken, water, milk, and parsley). Refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
When ready to cook, add the chicken and cook as per recipe instructions. Alternatively, you can store chopped veggies with spices in an airtight container for up to 3 days and mix with the rest of the ingredients when you are ready to cook.
More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try
- Instant Pot chicken noodle soup
- Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
- Instant Pot chicken and rice soup
- Healthy chicken noodle soup
- Chicken noodle vegetable soup
- Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup
Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 large carrots coarsely chopped
- 3 large celery stalks diced
- 2 large potatoes diced
- 1/2 cup dried mushrooms or 2 cups fresh brown mushrooms, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice uncooked
- 9 cups water or chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups whole milk
- Small bunch parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- In 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add chicken, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, wild rice, water, thyme, mustard, garlic powder salt, and pepper.
- Cover, set pressure valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High Pressure or Manual for 25 minutes. I realize video says 30 minutes but 25 minutes is better.
- After wait for 10 minutes to avoid food splatters. Then release pressure by turning valve to Venting.
- Remove chicken onto plate and shred with 2 forks.
- To Instant Pot, add milk and using an immersion blender give a few pulses until soup is desired thickness. Don’t forget to stir.
- Add shredded chicken, parsley, stir and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: In a large airtight container or a bowl with lid, add all ingredients (except chicken, water, milk and parsley) and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Add meat and cook as per recipe’s instructions. OR store chopped veggies with spices in an airtight container for up to 3 days and mix with the rest when ready to cook.
- Freezer Meal: In a large Ziploc bag, add all ingredients (except water, milk and parsley), release out as much air as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen for 25 minutes with Quick Release. After follow last step in the recipe.
- Any chicken works: Use any raw chicken pieces or leftover cooked chicken. Just remember that cooked chicken needs barely any cooking, and you will need to use chicken stock in place of water, since it won’t be cooking in water creating a broth.
- Dairy free: I’m sure you can use any unsweetened plant-based milk, soup will just be less rich but still creamy.
- For 3 quart Instant Pot: Cut recipe ingredients in half but keep same cooking time.
Can I use chicken thighs? If so how many? Thank you!
I would think that would be okay, boneless / skinless would be best. Same amount.
What do you mean by dried mushrooms? Or fresh brown mushrooms?
You can use either, see recipe card for specific amounts. Looking forward to hearing how it goes!
Hi, when you say “Shred & Thicken: Remove chicken to a plate and shred chicken with 2 forks,” does that mean I have to remove the chicken pieces from the Instant Pot AFTER they been cooking inside the IP with the other ingedients?
Yes, it is easier to shred that way.
Thank you!
What kind of mustard do you use. Prepared or dry? Thanks
prepared
I froze all the ingredients except the water/stock, parsley, and milk – but because I used a stasher bag I think it’s going to be harder for me to remove everything from the bag and cook it from frozen(they don’t open wide enough). I plan on thawing it in the fridge and then putting it in the IP. How long should I cook it for in my 8 quart IP? Will it still take 25mins in the IP? It looks like I cook it 25mins in the IP frozen or not frozen? Do I add 7 or 9 cups of chicken stock? I cut my chicken into bite size pieces if that matters. Thank you for your help!
9 cups. Yes for the 25 minutes, your IP will just come to pressure faster. Thanks for letting other know about freezing in the reusable bags.
Hello there, quick question, what if I don’t have an immersion blender?
You have a few options! You can leave your soup more ‘brothy’ or blend a small amount in your blender, then add back into soup.
A couple of questions…Can boneless chicken breast be cut into bite size pieces before cooking and do you stir everything together before cooking? Do you need the 9 cups of water? Thanks so much.
Yes for the chicken, no need to stir and yes you need 9 cups of water (or you can use broth).
I just love your recipes Olena!! I’ve been waiting for soup weather, but after not feeling well, I made this recipe. I didn’t have mushrooms, I didn’t add milk because of my tummy, and I didn’t have parsley. I added extra carrots and potatoes and only 8 cups of liquid, part chicken broth, part water. After the 10 minute wait, I started venting and had liquid spitting out!! (Level was below max line). The whole family loved it!! Thanks Olena!! This recipe is in my rotation for sure!!
So glad it went well and helped you feel better, too 🙂
Such a healthy, tasty easy soup! I’ve made this more than a dozen times already. I usually meal prep one or two pots’ worth and leave in the freezer for a quick meal on a busy weeknight. I highly recommend this soup.
Love to hear this! Thanks for the review!
One of my absolute favourite soups! So easy and delicious! The mushrooms make this soup!
Tanks for all your great recipes!
You are very welcome Barbara!