Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I'm on a Panera kick and I'm crazy about their Chicken and Wild Rice Soup! Even though it is May, it has been rainy and cold for so many days here and I love soup anytime... so I began checking out recipes for a tasty Chicken and Wild Rice soup! Unfortunately, most soups required a can of cream of chicken soup - and I do avoid using those types of additions.

Um, this tastes just like a chicken and rice stew or even a chowder! It is so rich! Crusty bread is a must have to enjoy this soup! 

I used Rice Select Royal Blend which is a blend of Texmati white, brown wild & red rice. But I think that any rice could work.

I can't get over how EASY it was to assembly. I'm talking about maybe 5 minutes of prep work and then another 5 to make the roux. Happy eating!

Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Adapted from: Pinch of Yum
Serves: 10

1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breast)
2 cups mirepoix (chopped celery, carrots, and onions)
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (blend of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, and marjoram)
½ cup butter
¾ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
a few tablespoons white wine (optional)
up to 2 cups additional milk or water

Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, mirepoix, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft.

Remove the chicken breasts and using two forks, shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until a thick, creamy mixture forms.

Add this to the crockpot and stir to combine. Add extra water or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper.