Nothing beats a classic like Chicken and Wild Rice, especially Grandma’s version. It is the definition of comfort food and to make it like only she can, I invited her over to show me the tricks.
She identified the missing puzzle piece that’s been making my version come up short. Pair with some homemade croutons or fresh sourdough bread for dunking.
I made this soup several times for my husband but it kept missing something, no matter what different spice blends I tried. I brought my Grandma over to show me her version (even though I had her recipe in hand). What was missing? The Uncle Bens Wild Rice Seasoning Packet. This is KEY! It provides the rich flavor that I could not replicate.
I found the missing pieces and sure enough… tastes just like Grandmas Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.
Grandma's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup Meal Prep Ideas
I often cook meat in bulk, both chicken and beef. Having cooked, shredded and seasoned meat in the freezer greatly reduces the headache of quickly throwing together a meal during those busy weeknights.
I also have chopped onions and peppers in the freezer to cut down chopping time and to open up the produce drawers.
How to make Grandma's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
The recipe requires cooked wild rice; begin by making that in a small saucepan. It takes about 20 minutes. Once that gets going, heat up a dutch oven and sauté the onions, celery and carrots in some butter. Once the onions are translucent add garlic, salt and pepper.
Add the flour. Stir around until it becomes frothy, about one minute. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Then add the chicken, rice, milk and red pepper flakes.
Stir and simmer for about 20 minutes. This is the most delicious and comforting soup, and requires only 45 minutes to make.
Freezing Grandma's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Chicken & Wild Rice freezes well; place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. I found that once unthawed it was a bit thicker due to the rice. You can easily add in some water or broth when reheating to thin out.