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Instant Pot Wild Rice & Chicken Soup

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I’ve made this chicken wild rice soup more times than I can count. It’s my favorite soup for weeknights, especially during cold weeks when I want something warm, filling, and easy to throw together. Hearty without being heavy, super flavorful, and made with real ingredients I usually have on hand, it’s everything I love in a dinner.

I just toss everything into the Instant Pot, let it work its magic, and before I know it, I’ve got a big batch of nourishing, veggie-packed wild rice soup that’s perfect for leftovers or freezing for later.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Comforting: Tender chicken, chewy wild rice, vegetables, and herbs create a hearty soup that can be finished with milk or cream for a richer consistency.
Mostly hands-off: After sautéing the vegetables, the Instant Pot handles most of the cooking. It’s an easy pressure-cooker dinner with minimal active prep.
Gluten-free-friendly and dairy-free-friendly: Wild rice is naturally gluten-free. Use gluten-free chicken broth and check the seasoning on store-bought rotisserie chicken when needed. Then, swap the milk with coconut cream to keep the soup dairy-free.
Meal prep-friendly: Leftovers store and freeze super well. So, I often make a double batch for easy meal prep. It’s a game-changer on busy days!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below are a few important notes about the key ingredients for this chicken wild rice soup. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!

Wild Rice: I use uncooked pure wild rice for a chewy texture and nutty flavor. Wild rice blends often contain brown or white rice that cook at different rates, so they may become soft before the wild rice is fully tender. That said, If I don’t have wild rice on hand, I sub it with brown rice or a wild rice blend. Just keep in mind that the cooking time may vary slightly, depending on what you use.
Rotisserie Chicken: You can cook raw chicken breast if preferred, but I love to use rotisserie chicken to save time. It’s already cooked and seasoned, so it just needs to be shredded and stirred in. Or, if you have leftover chicken on hand, this is a great way to use it up!
Onion, Carrots, Celery, and Garlic: A classic mirepoix mix, this gives the soup flavor. My kids don’t even notice the veggies!
Thyme, Rosemary, and Bay Leaf: Using dried herbs is my secret to making the soup taste like it was simmered for hours on the stove with a lot less work.
Chicken Broth: This forms the base of the soup and enhances the chicken flavor. I always use low-sodium broth, so I have more control over the saltiness. Bone broth adds extra richness if you have it on hand.
Milk or Coconut Cream: This is optional but adds rich flavor and a creamy finish I love. Heavy cream or half and half works well, too, if you want an even silkier consistency. If using coconut cream, keep in mind that it may add a subtle coconut flavor.

Possible Variations

Add extra veggies. Mushrooms are very common in classic chicken and wild rice soup and add an earthy, savory flavor. I sometimes add mushrooms, kale, frozen corn, or spinach, too, stirring them in after cooking.
Use leftover turkey. Substitute shredded cooked turkey after Thanksgiving or another holiday meal.
Add more herbs. Poultry seasoning, parsley, or sage can deepen the flavor.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Once you make the Instant Pot version, you’ll never make chicken and wild rice soup another way again! Here’s how it comes together:

Step 1: Sauté the veggies. Heat oil in the Instant Pot, and sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic just until they’re softened and fragrant.

Step 2: Combine ingredients. Next, I add the chicken, wild rice, dried herbs, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and broth. Make sure to coat the rice with liquid, or it will turn out crunchy.

Step 3: Cook. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and manual or pressure cook. Then, naturally release the pressure.

Step 4: Finish. For a creamy chicken wild rice soup, stir in the milk or coconut cream. Or, omit it if preferred. Season to taste, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Rinse your wild rice well. It helps remove excess starch and prevents the soup from getting gummy as it sits.
Don’t skip the sauté step. A few extra minutes softening the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic makes a big difference in flavor and gives the soup that slow-simmered taste without actually having to slow-simmer anything.
Let it sit before serving. Like most soups, it gets even better as it rests. A few extra minutes before digging in helps everything thicken and come together even more.
Rice will keep absorbing broth in the fridge. Wild rice keeps soaking up liquid even after the soup is done cooking, so leftovers can turn thicker (almost gluey) by day 3 or 4. If that happens, just thin it out with a splash of extra broth when you reheat. The flavor is still there; it just needs a little loosening up.
Add more protein. Stir in a can of drained white beans or chickpeas for extra fiber and heartiness.

How to Store

This chicken wild rice soup recipe tastes even better the next day! Let it cool completely before storing.

Reheat: Warm on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
Refrigerator: Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding milk or cream. Store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, leaving room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat gently, and stir in the creamy ingredient before serving.

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