Creamy, savory and with chewy bites of wild rice, there is a satisfying balance of texture and flavor in this slow-cooker version of chicken and wild rice soup. Smarts: Wild rice lends itself perfectly to the slow-cooker. The firm grains take a long time to cook, but will be chewy and tender after a few hours.
Onions / Carrots / Celery / Bell peppers / Garlic - Prep as directed. Combine onions, carrots and celery in one container. Store bell peppers and garlic in another container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Saute mirepoix - Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix) with a pinch of salt. Saute until vegetables soften, 4 to 5 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Slow-cook soup - Combine onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, stock and wild rice in the bowl of a slow-cooker. Stir to make sure that rice is submerged in liquid. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours (3 to 4 hours on high).
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
About 20 minutes before serving, transfer chicken to a cutting board and roughly chop. Return chicken to the slow-cooker.
Pour evaporated milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until it begins to bubble, 1-2 minutes. (Optional step: For a thicker soup, whisk flour into milk. A few small dry spots of flour may remain, but will dissolve into soup as it finishes cooking.) Add to soup. Turn slow-cooker on high and continue to cook soup for 20 minutes.
Season soup with additional salt, if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with bread on the side. Enjoy!