We got married in 1988 – the year for goose cookie jars (we got 3, kept none), glass platters with matching bowls, and everything else was blue and brown. Thankfully, we were not part of the mushroom set, or the sunflower set. If you’ve been married more than 30 years, you know what I’m talking about.
Several wedding gifts stand out to me as the most used and useful: the picnic table and benches from my grandparents, a folding stepstool from my parent’s friends, the gas grill from our Bible study gang, and a small brown crockpot. (Sadly, I have no idea who gave that to us.)
The picnic table is gone – benches got stuck in the ice one winter and the table was used for one too many “craft” projects. The stepstool has been relegated to garage and outdoor work. The grill has been replaced. BUT the brown crockpot remains in my kitchen arsenal. It has a larger sibling now that can handle crowd-sized recipes, but I love that little brown crockpot.
Some days I have a little time in the morning to assemble a meal, then work until evening starvation time. That’s when the crockpot is my best friend. Layer the main ingredients of this soup in the crock, switch the pot to low, and head out the door. Before supper, make a quick cream sauce, break up the chicken, and you’re good to go. Yummy all-day cooking, without being home all day.
This uses my homemade poultry seasoning blend. You probably have all these herbs in your pantry, but store-bought works just fine, too.
Here’s a tip from me: count cleaning vegetables as part of your grocery shopping. Once you get home and unload the trunk of your car, spend a few minutes cleaning and rebagging the veggies. Peel carrots, wash and separate celery stalks, remove broccoli and cauliflower florets from the core, etc. You’re more apt to use them if preparation time is shortened, won’t have to throw away old produce, and snacking is healthier.
Here’s another tip – this time not quite as healthy: brown a couple pounds of bacon in the oven, then separate into smaller bags to store in the refrigerator. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, lay out the bacon in a single layer, and bake at 400 degrees until crispy. Drain well on paper towels. Bacon adds great crunch and flavour to soups, salads, omelettes, and sandwiches. Bacon should last in the refrigerator at least 10 days, but it never lasts that long around here.
Layering the ingredients in your crockpot helps everything get done about the same time, and nothing gets overcooked. Put the carrots, celery, garlic, and onion on the bottom, then the wild rice. Top that with the chicken (I used only 2 breasts, but she must have been a big girl – they weighed in at almost 3 pounds. Yikes!). Sprinkle the chicken with poultry seasoning, then some salt and pepper. Pour the stock along the side of the crock so you don’t wash all the seasoning to the bottom. That’s it! Cover it up, turn on low, and leave it for 7-8 hours.
When you’re about 15 minutes out from dinner, start the sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add flour (I used this gluten free flour mix) and stir until smooth. Allow the flour to cook for a minute or two, then add the milk. I used a blend of cream and 2% milk, but do whatever you want. Stirring constantly, let the mixture cook until thickened, then add it into the soup. The chicken should basically fall apart while you’re mixing in the creamy sauce, but if you need to pull some larger pieces apart, use two forks or the potato masher. Stir in the cheese and bacon and allow everything to mingle for a few minutes. At this point, I like to add about 1/2 cup of white wine for the flavour, but again, do whatever you want. The cheese I use in most creamy soups is smoked gouda — we love how that complements the smoky bacon.
Crockpot Creamy Chicken & Wildrice Soup – Gluten Free
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Set and forget, then serve your family this incredible soup
Ingredients
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 chicken breasts
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 4 Tbsp gluten free flour
- 2 cups milk or cream, or a combination
- 1 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
- 4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy
- 1/4 cup white wine
Instructions
- In a large crockpot, put all the vegetables on the bottom, then layer with wild rice, topped by chicken breasts, sprinkled with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper
- Pour the chicken stock alongside the edge of the crock, so the seasonings don’t wash off the chicken
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours
- About 15 minutes before serving soup, melt butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the flour until smooth, then add the milk/cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Add the milk mixture to the crockpot, breaking apart chicken as you stir it in
- Add the grated cheese, bacon, and white wine (if using), and allow to heat through
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Method: crockpot
So, here is a little insight into my brain: I like really thick, substantial soups. If soup has to come with bread or salad to be a “real” meal, forget it. Make mine closer to casserole and I’m happy. If you like flowing, liquid-y soup, add more milk. Just saying….
