Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is an easy and healthy weeknight dinner that’s thick, creamy and hearty. It’s also dairy-free and gluten-free and comes together in less than an hour in your electric pressure cooker!
*This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with new text and a video. The recipe remains the same.
Since publishing this post almost a year ago, this has become my go-to soup recipe. I usually make a batch on Sundays, and then have dinners and lunches sorted for a few days. And it’s so simple to make!
Reasons you’ll love this soup
- You need just 10 ingredients plus salt and pepper.
- It’s super easy. You pretty much set it and forget it, except for shredding the chicken and stirring in your thickener.
- You don’t have to cut up raw chicken. The chicken breasts cook up whole in the soup.
- There’s no cream or dairy of any kind. It’s thickened with a simple mixture of tapioca flour and nut milk.
Details on the ingredients
Chicken: The recipe calls for fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I just use two, but you can definitely add another one if you want to stretch the soup further.
Dried basil and oregano: If you’d like to use fresh herbs instead of dried, just triple the amount. (Fresh herbs are not as potent as dried herbs). You can also change up the herbs by adding rosemary or bay leaves.
Salt and pepper: Just a little for some added flavour. Feel free to add more or less to suite your taste.
Carrots and mushrooms: Make sure to chop your carrots about 1/2-inch thick and quarter your mushrooms (or if they’re small, leave them whole). If you cut your veggies in thin slices, they will cook too quickly.
Wild rice blend: This is a blend of wild and whole grain brown rice, which cooks more quickly in the Instant Pot than wild rice. If you decide to go with all wild rice, you will need to pressure cook the soup for longer, which may result in the other soup ingredients overcooking.
Chicken broth: The recipe calls for no salt added chicken broth, but if you like your soup a little saltier, you can use low-sodium or regular chicken broth. You can also use veggie broth if that’s all you have on hand.
Tapioca flour: This is used for thickening the soup and adding a creamy texture. You can also use cornstarch but just note that the soup will gel a bit when cooled.
Nut milk: I normally use unsweetened cashew or almond milk. If you don’t need this soup to be dairy-free, you can use dairy milk.
Spinach: A few cups of spinach are added at the end for some extra veggies. Kale or collard greens will work too. Just make sure they’re torn into small pieces and added to the soup along with the thickener so it has more time to cook down.
How to make chicken and wild rice soup in the Instant Pot
- Place your chicken in the greased Instant Pot insert and season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the carrots, mushrooms and rice, and then the chicken broth.
- Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and quick release.
- Carefully remove the chicken and shred it on a cutting board. Add the chicken back to the soup.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the tapioca flour and nut milk. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté for 5 minutes and pour the flour/milk mixture in, stirring until the soup thickens. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the spinach and let it wilt.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.
Frequently asked questions
How do you thicken creamy chicken wild rice soup without cream? For this recipe, all you need is tapioca flour and nut milk. Stir them together until smooth and then slowly pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly until it is mixed through. As you mix it in, you will notice the soup start to thicken. If you don’t have tapioca flour, you can use cornstarch. Both are gluten-free thickeners. If you use cornstarch, the soup will gel a bit when cooled, but will easily liquify when reheated.
Can you use frozen chicken breasts in this soup? I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen chicken breasts. While I’ve seen other soup recipes that cook chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot, you will need to add a few minutes of cooking time to ensure the frozen chicken is fully cooked. This extra cooking time may result in the other soup ingredients overcooking. For that reason, if you’d like to use frozen chicken, I suggest letting it thaw in the refrigerator first.
What’s the total cooking time for this soup in the Instant Pot? The soup will take about 38 minutes in total to cook. This includes about 15 minutes for the pressure to build, 12 minutes to cook on high pressure and about 6 minutes to depressurize. The soup is finished off on sauté mode for 5 minutes to stir in the thickener and add the spinach.
Storage and freezing
How do you store any leftover soup and how long will it last? Store any leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. It should last for 3-4 days.
How do you reheat this soup? You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. Just keep in mind that leftover soup will thicken a bit in the refrigerator, so you may wish to add some broth or water before reheating.
Can you freeze this soup? I don’t recommend freezing it as the rice does not hold its texture once defrosted and reheated.
Additional tips and substitutions
- You may need to adjust the cook time slightly depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Just make sure your chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165F.
- This recipe was made in a 6-quart Instant Pot and the insert was about three-quarters full. If you have a smaller Instant Pot, you can always half the recipe.
- If you like a thinner soup, you can always leave out the thickener or add more broth.
- To keep this soup gluten-free, make sure your rice blend and chicken broth are certified gluten-free.
Other homemade chicken soup recipes
- Chicken Fajita Soup has all the spicy flavour of a fajita, with black beans, corn, peppers and onions.
- Instant Pot Chicken Orzo Soup is a grown up version of chicken noodle soup with fresh lemon, kale and orzo pasta.
If you make this Instant Pot wild rice soup with chicken, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Total Time: 58 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 bowls
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is a simple weeknight dinner that’s thick and creamy without any dairy. It’s also gluten-free and comes together in less than an hour in your electric pressure cooker!
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped carrots (1/2-inch thick)
- 2 cups quartered cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
- 6 cups no salt added chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Grease the Instant Pot insert with cooking spray and add the chicken breasts. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the carrots, mushrooms, wild rice and broth and stir to combine.
- Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to seal. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. (It will take about 15 minutes for pressure to build).
- Once the timer goes off, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Open the lid and carefully remove the chicken breasts and place them on a cutting board. Shred the chicken and add back to the soup.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the tapioca flour and nut milk. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- With the lid removed, set the Instant Pot to sauté for 5 minutes. Slowly pour in the flour/milk mixture and stir until the soup thickens.
- Once thickened, add the spinach and let it wilt. (Continue to stir the soup so it doesn’t burn onto the pot).
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days.
Notes
- This recipe was made in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
- You may need to adjust the cook time slightly depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Just make sure your chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165F.
- This recipe calls for a wild rice blend, which cooks more quickly in the Instant Pot than wild rice. If you decide to go with all wild rice, you will need to pressure cook the soup for longer, which may result in the other soup ingredients overcooking.
- Make sure to chop your carrots about 1/2-inch thick and quarter your mushrooms (or if they’re small, leave them whole). If you cut your veggies in thin slices, they will cook too quickly.
- I used no salt added chicken broth, but if you like your soup a little saltier, you can add some more salt or use low-sodium or regular chicken broth.
- If you don’t have tapioca flour, you can use cornstarch. Just note that the soup will gel a bit when cooled.
- To keep this soup gluten-free, make sure your rice blend and chicken broth are certified gluten-free.
- Be sure to check out the detailed sections above the recipe card for additional advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
Loved watching the video! This soup is absolutely delicious, and so comforting!
Thanks Alex!
This is such a great recipe! Love the new video feature too!
Thanks Terry!
This looks perfect for the upcoming cozy season! So hearty and yummy! I love wild rice 🙂
Thanks Michelle. It’s definitely a cozy one!
What a great recipe! Thank you! I left out the “milk” and just thickened with cornstarch because that is what I had on hand. The rice blend was perfect and the chicken was tender.
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and letting me know. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I’m such a huge fan of wild rice soup so this is calling my name. I especially love that you can make it in the Instant Pot!
Thanks Marcie! I put my Instant Pot to good use with this one!
A bowl of this and some crusty bread and I am in heaven! I love that this soups cooks the chicken breasts whole. I have a lovely chicken, celery and chickpea soup recipe that does the same and not only it’s quicker, the meat turns out much juicier. Enjoy the snow (when it finally comes)!
Thanks Katerina! The chicken definitely turns out juicier and more tender. Your chicken soup sounds lovely! Happy weekend!
This is one bowl comfort. Love this chicken and rice and veggies combo, flavorful , hearty and healthy version of comfort. I am going to try it, as it is cold here.
Thanks Swathi! Hope you like it!
Even though it’s ‘warmer’ here today, I’m froze! I could definitely go with a huge bowl of this for lunch….and most definitely with some crusty bread! Looks absolutely scrumptious, Leanne! YUM!!
I’ve been eating it all week Dawn to stay warm! That one ‘warm’ day was a blip!;) Happy weekend!
Love a warming bowl of soup, and this looks so comforting. Love that it is made in the instant pot also!
Thanks Alexandra!
It’s snowing here right now and I need this soup in my life. I’ve always been more apt to make soup that’s chunky, thick, and hearty. All of my mom’s soups were like that. I very rarely make a soup that has a thin broth. I have wild rice in my pantry, so this just might be on the menu tonight!
Thanks Byron! My parents always made chunky soups too. Hope you get a chance to make this one. Stay warm!
We just had our first snow a few days ago (Well technically that wasn’t really the snow – just some dusting!), and the temperature has significantly dropped, too…So I believe some nasty weather is on its way to Newfoundland 🙂
A hearty and delicious soup is needed, and this is a perfect solution. Comfort (yet healthy) food at its best!
Thanks Ben. It’s raining and windy today, so definitely soup weather. But it’s actually 13 degrees, so I’m not sure when we’re going to get snow! Stay warm!
Instant pot soups are my favorite way to make soups, your rice and chicken soup looking mouthwatering! Putting it on my to try list!
Thank you! I hope you get a chance to make it!
We love big hearty soups that eat like a meal! It’s pretty overcast and gloomy today, so this would certainly fit the bill. Plus, the Instant Pot is always so convenient!!
It’s definitely convenient! Thanks Katherine!
I love wild rice and even though I don’t own an instant pot would still make this soup in an instant:) Snow we have here in Colorado and with it a great appetite for comforting soup dishes like this one. I am excited to try thickening with tapioca starch and nut milk – sounds like a great alternative to my usual method of slurrying everything, lol.
Haha! Thanks Milena. It’s a pretty easy thickener! Let me know if you give it a try!
We had snow for the first time today Leanne! It didn’t accumulate, but it was a snowfall nonetheless. A nice big bowl of this would be so cozy!
Thanks Mary Ann! I have a feeling we will be getting our first snowfall soon!
We have all the snow here in Ontario 🙂 So I’m super ready for a big pot of chicken soup! Looks delicious and perfectly hearty for this cold day.
Thanks Jennifer! Stay warm!
I love how hearty and delicious this soup looks! Instant pot is the absolute best for soups!!! I’ve been wanting to try wild rice so this is the perfect to give it a go! Definitely gotta have some crusty bread to go with it!
Thanks Haylie! The crusty bread is definitely nice on the side!
Thanks for this recipe..I’m always looking for a quick and tasty soup recipe and this looks amazing!
Perfect for cold winter days.
Definitely perfect for winter days! Thanks Terry!