Minnesota is the home of wild rice soup recipes because this is where they harvest the wild rice from canoes in the rice paddies on the lakes. Wild rice has a nutty and crunchy taste to it and is much healthier for you because it is unprocessed. You even have to wash the rice in this recipe before you cook it.
I have another wild rice soup recipe that is more of a vegetarian option with kale and is less creamy than this one. You can use ham in this recipe. I used a couple of leftover chicken breasts from the night before. I have used leftover turkey in this recipe after Thanksgiving.
I am always looking for a healthier twist to these recipes. I substituted canola margarine for butter and since I have cut way back on dairy products, I used almond milk in this instead of half and half. This is a delicious chicken wild rice soup recipe that really warms you up on a winter’s day.
Ingredients:
6 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/2 c. minced onion (or 1/2 onion minced)
1/2 c. flour
4 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 c. cooked wild rice (1/2 cup uncooked wild rice = 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked wild rice)
1/2 c. to 1 c. grated carrots
1 pkg. 8oz. of baby portabella mushrooms
1/2 c. to 1 c. chopped celery
3 Tbs. chopped slivered almonds
2 tsp. curry (optional, you won’t find it served like this in a Minnesota cafe)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. half and half (or unsweetened almond milk)
2 Tbs. dry sherry or wine (optional)
1/2 c. minced ham or 2 c. chopped turkey or chicken (meat already cooked)
snipped fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Most of ingredients for a delicious chicken wild rice soup recipe
Directions:
Cook the wild rice first.
Put 2/3 cup wild rice in a strainer and wash thoroughly with hot tap water.
Wash rice thoroughly with hot tap water
Transfer to a sauce pan. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until tender, not mushy, and most of the water is absorbed.
Drain rice after 35-40 minutes then cook for another 5 minutes.
Drain rice at 30 minutes for chewier rice. I drain it at about 35-40 minutes and cook it for another 5. Then drain again and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt margarine and saute onions.
Blend in flour.
Blend in flour to sautéed onions while adding broth slowly.
Gradually add broth, stirring constantly until flour is blended and it boils and thickens.
Add broth while blending flour into sauce, stirring constantly.
Then boil and stir for 1 minute.
After flour is blended completely in, boil thickened broth for 1 minute.
Stir in cooked rice, carrots, meat (if you have it), almonds, celery, salt and curry (if you want). Bring heat up and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add vegetables, rice, spices, almonds, and rice. Boil for 5 minutes.
Blend in half and half (or almond milk) and sherry (or wine). Add mushrooms and heat until they are reduced.
Blend in milk or half and half, add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms shrink
Garnish, season with pepper, and serve.
Serve in a bowl and garnish with chives or parsley. Delicious.
