Chicken, Sausage & Wild Rice Soup
Hearty and warming, straightforward and hugely flavorful, this meal may come together in only one pot, but its charms are vast and its fans (at least in my house) are many. Â
2 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
24 oz. mixed mushrooms (I use cremini and baby bella but love using wild if I can find them for a good price)
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 red or golden apple, thinly sliced (totally optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
1.5 cups wild rice blend
¼ cup sherry (or dry white wine or chicken stock)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. smoked sausage, sliced (give or take; any kind you like)
8 cups (64 oz.) chicken stock (2 boxes)
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add about 2 TBSP of olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, mushrooms, and apple. Cook until the mushrooms have released much of their liquid and the onions have tenderized; about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and rice. Cook, stirring, for one minute more to toast the rice.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper; about 2 tsp each for now (we’ll season more in a bit).
- Add the sherry (or wine or stock) and stir to deglaze the pot and pick up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the chicken breasts, sausage, 4 cups of the stock, the cup of cream, and the thyme. Stir.Â
- Place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer gently for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Remove the chicken breasts and shred them with a fork (on a plate/cutting board). Add the shredded chicken back into the pot.Â
- At this point the rice will have absorbed much of the broth/liquid, so I usually add in a few more cups of stock and/or more cream. Sometimes I use all 8 cups, sometimes I keep it more stew-like and use less. Just get your soup to the consistency that you like, check once more for seasoning (it will need more salt), and serve hot. Enjoy!
