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Is there anything quite as comforting as a warm bowl of homemade soup on a blustery day? I could eat soup every day, I love it that much! Not only is it warming and comforting, but the ease of making a meal in one pot certainly makes me happy! This recipe is adapted from  this one at I Food Real. It's a delicious and savory creamy soup, chock full of soft vegetables, rice and chunks of tender chicken.

Why you'll love this easy soup recipe

I've long used leftover rotisserie chicken to make soup but I usually make some form of chicken noodle soup. The depth of flavor in this wild rice and mushroom chicken soup makes it my new favorite! The taste is amazing and it is so filling that all you need to make it a meal is some crusty bread to dunk in the broth! Here's why you'll love this soup too:

• filling and hearty
• one pot keeps the kitchen cleaner
• healthy
• delicious for weeknights, but elegant enough for guests
• easy to prepare
• inexpensive ingredients
• makes enough for leftovers the next day
• your home will smell amazing!

The ease of using a fully cooked chicken makes getting this meal on the table that much easier. That said, you can certainly cook your own chicken to add to this soup.

While a rotisserie chicken is generously seasoned, you may want to limit the addition of salt altogether, and let everyone season their own bowl.

A note on the ingredients: I purchased everything at Aldi, with the exception of the chicken, which was already in my fridge, purchased a couple days earlier from Costco. 

Making soup is not like baking, where measurements need to be precise. There are lots of substitutions and additions you can make that will still result in a great bowl of soup. Don't have carrots? Add potatoes. Don't like celery? Leave it out. So don't be afraid to experiment, and I'd love to hear what you added to your soup! However, I always recommend trying to follow the recipe the first time you make something, before you start altering it.

 

Tools I use

You can certainly use whatever you have in your kitchen, but I love my cast iron Dutch oven for making soups and stews. I've had it for years and it's never failed me. My favorite knife to chop vegetables is a Santoku that I keep sharp with a knife sharpener specifically for the Santoku knife. My son bought me a Boos Board wood cutting board for my birthday a few years ago and it's amazing! The large size is perfect when you're chopping a lot of veggies. These are basic tools for my kitchen that I use on nearly a daily basis.

How to prepare a rotisserie chicken to use in soup

There are 2 methods I like to use, depending on if I plan to eat the chicken as a meal first. If you're purchasing the rotisserie chicken specifically for the soup, you'll want to try the first method, outlined below:

1. Prepare while chicken is warm. As soon as you get home from the grocery store, remove the skin and fat and separate the chicken from the bones. It comes apart much easier when it's warm. Cut the chicken into rough bite-size cubes and then refrigerate until ready to use.*
2. Using a refrigerated leftover chicken. Add chicken, bones and all, to a soup pot. Pour about 1 cup of chicken broth over and don't forget to add all the yummy juices that will have gelled in the fridge. Cover pot and steam chicken over medium low heat for about 30 minutes. Scoop pieces out, let cool until you can handle, and then separate and cut meat into pieces.

Ingredients

5 cups cooked Rotisserie chicken, cut into chunks

1 onion, chopped

2-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks (and leafy tops), chopped

1 pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced thick (I used whole baby portabellas from Aldi and cut them myself into thick slices)

1 tbsp butter

1-2 pkgs wild rice mix or 1-1/2 cups wild rice (I used this pkg from Aldi which is a mix of long grain and wild rice)*

8 cups chicken broth (2 boxes)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground mustard

2 tsp garlic powder

1-1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

1 cup half and half

small bunch parsley, finely chopped

optional but highly recommended:

- fresh lemon wedges, fresh spinach leaves, coarsely  grated parmesan cheese

*I used only 1 pkg of Aldi wild rice mix the first time I made the soup. It was a little runny the first day, but the rice absorbs liquid, so leftovers are perfection! If you add 2 pkgs of the rice mix, you may need to add a little more broth when reheating, otherwise it will be more stew-like.

Directions

1. Preheat large soup pot over medium heat. Add butter to melt. Sauté onions in butter until soft, about 4 minutes.
2. Add garlic, celery and carrots and sauté with lid on* for about 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. *keeping the lid on keeps the moisture inside the pot so veggies don't burn. If your stovetop is like mine, you may need to turn it down to medium low.
3. Add mushrooms, thyme, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper, continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
4. Add chicken, rice from package (discard seasoning or save for another use) and broth and gently mix to combine.
5. Cover pot, bring to boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes or until rice is cooked.
6. Pour half and half into soup and mix. Remove from heat and serve. Adjust seasonings as needed.

You could serve the soup as is, it's fantastic! But I like to add a handful of fresh baby spinach to a soup bowl and ladle hot soup over top. Squeeze fresh lemon to taste, and top with grated fresh parmesan and a little extra black pepper. The hot soup cooks the spinach just right so it's not slimy!

Serve with crusty bread and butter for a filling meal.

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