Chicken and Wild Rice Soup-Recipe Gluten Free

There’s nothing more comforting than a warm, hearty bowl of Gluten-Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup on a chilly day. This cozy, nourishing soup is packed with tender chicken, wholesome wild rice, and a rich, creamy broth—all without any gluten! It’s the perfect balance of flavorful, filling, and family-friendly, making it a go-to meal for busy nights or meal prep. Plus, it’s easy to make with simple ingredients and can be customized to be dairy-free if needed. Get ready to enjoy a bowl of pure comfort!

Soup Season is Calling

Having grown up in Minnesota, wild rice was a normal ingredient to have in the pantry. I have heard that wild rice is more of midwestern comfort food, but with the expansion of Panera Bread all over the USA, I know more than just the hearty folk of the north appreciate it too.

If you want more Gluten-Free soup recipes, check out my Gluten-Free Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe here.

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Where To Find Wild Rice

If you aren’t living up in the Great North, you may not have a stock pile of this here wild rice ready to go. (Yes, I am imagining saying that sentence in the most Minnesotan accent I can muster…) So in that case, check your local grocery store in the rice section to see what your options are.

For the sake of ease, here is a Amazon find:

Thousand Lakes Minnesota Grown Wild Rice

I have also found regular wild rice at Trader Joe’s. The price will be much better in-store than through this link to Amazon, but I like to share a picture of what you are looking for.

If all you can find is Lundberg’s Rice Blend, that will work. But personally I prefeer just straight wild rice. Must be my Minnesotan upbringing.

Some stores only have Uncle Ben’s. I wouldn’t suggest using this kind unless you are really hard-pressed to find something to add to this soup. If that is the case, leave out the seasoning packet as it may make the overall dish too salty. If you need to use Uncle Ben’s, it will probably take 4 boxes to get the same amount of rice as the recipe calls for, so not very budget-friendly either.

How to Cook Wild Rice in the Instant Pot

Wild rice takes some time to cook, but the Instant Pot makes it quick and effortless! Here’s the easiest way to get perfectly cooked wild rice every time.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Rinse the Wild Rice
   • Measure out 1 cup of wild rice and place it in a fine-mesh colander. If you don’t have one, line a regular colander with a thin kitchen towel. Rinse under cold water for about a minute to remove any debris.
2. Add Ingredients to the Instant Pot
   • Transfer the rinsed wild rice to the Instant Pot and add 1 ½ cups of water. Sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon of salt, then give it a quick stir.
3. Pressure Cook
   • Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.
4. Release Pressure & Drain
   • Once the cooking time is up, carefully release the pressure according to your Instant Pot’s instructions. If there’s a little water left, simply strain the rice before using.

Kitchen Tip

I love making this a day ahead and storing it in the fridge—perfect for quick meal prep, especially for chicken and wild rice soup!

No Instant Pot? Just follow the stovetop instructions on your wild rice package.

Now you’re ready to enjoy perfectly cooked wild rice with minimal effort!

Ingredients for Gluten Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Pre-Cooked Wild Rice – Start with 1 cup of dry wild rice, which will yield about 4 cups cooked. This hearty grain adds a nutty flavor and great texture.

Butter – Because butter makes everything better! If you need a dairy-free option, swap it for plant-based butter.

Avocado Oil – Used to sauté the veggies and build the roux for a rich, flavorful soup.

Carrots, Celery, & Onion (Mirepoix) – This classic French flavor base adds depth to your soup. Dice them up and let them work their magic!

Gluten-Free Flour Blend – Used to create a roux that thickens the soup. (I use King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Blend.)

Chicken Broth – Homemade is best (Here is my Instant Pot Chicken Broth Recipe), but store-bought works too. If using store-bought, wait to add salt until you’ve tasted the soup.

Cooked Chicken – I prefer chicken thighs for flavor, but any deboned, cooked chicken will do! (Check the recipe notes for my method on cooking chicken for this soup.)

Garlic – I love lots of garlic, but you can adjust to taste.

Poultry Seasoning – Find it in the spice aisle, or make your own blend with thyme, sage, black pepper, marjoram, rosemary, and nutmeg.

Seasonings – Salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder for extra depth of flavor.

Half & Half or Heavy Cream – This makes the soup rich and creamy! For a dairy-free version, I recommend a blend of oat milk and coconut milk for the best texture.

Let’s Get Cooking: Making Gluten Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1. Start with pre-cooked wild rice (see notes) and gather your ingredients.
2. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté the mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrots) until tender, then add garlic.
3. Drizzle in avocado oil and whisk in gluten-free flour to form a roux. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to remove lumps.
4. Bring to a simmer, then add wild rice, bay leaf, and shredded cooked chicken. Simmer until the rice grains split open.
5. Reduce heat and stir in half & half (or dairy-free alternative).
6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning.
7. Once heated through, serve warm and enjoy!

Notes:

This recipe calls for the wild rice to be precooked. To do this you can either follow the stovetop directions on the packaging or do it in the Instant Pot.

I prefer to cook the wild rice in the Instant Pot, making the cooking time 20 minutes rather than about 45 minutes. I share exactly how I do this above in the section How to Cook Wild Rice in the Instant Pot.

How to Make this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Dairy-Free

As mentioned, you can make this dairy-free with substituing a dairy-free butter for the butter the recipe calls for. For the half and half or cream, I like to substitute a store bought blend of oat milk and coconut milk. Using straight coconut milk would also be good but less creamy.

How Should The Chicken Be Cooked?

Feel free to use what works best for you. Whether that is grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store, putting some chicken breasts/ thighs in the Instant Pot, or using up some leftovers from the fridge. Do what you like, but if you want a very practical step-by-step guide, here it is. 😉

The following directions is my default way of quickly cooking up some chicken.

How to Cook Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs

1. Remove 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs from the refrigerator. (If your chicken is frozen, unthaw it first for this method.)
2. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium high heat.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of a high heat approved cooking oil. Such as avocado oil or coconut oil.
4. Let the oil heat for about 30 seconds.
5. Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the heated pan.
6. Season well with salt and pepper on the side that is facing up.
7. Let cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Then flip the chicken thighs over to cook the other side.
9. Season again with salt and pepper. This time also add 1/2 tablespoon of both garlic powder and onion powder.
10. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
11. The chicken should be easy to cut apart with the edge of a spatula in the pan. Still tender, not dried out but separates under pressure.
12. Turn off the stove, remove the pan from heat and then carefully remove the chicken from the pan to a wooden cutting board.
13. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting/ shredding. You can add it directly to the soup when you are at that step of the process.

If you are making the chicken ahead of time and need to put it in the refrigerator, first let it cool to room temperature.