Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a combination of two classics – beer cheese and chicken and wild rice soup.
This is one of those recipes I came up with years ago that was so, so good. But at the time of writing the actual recipe (and then publishing it) I did not specify that wild rice needed to be used. If regular rice is used in a slow cooker it will blow up and turn the whole consistency of the soup to unappetizing mush. Wild rice however (it is black out of the box or bag) can handle the low and slow heat of the slow cooker.
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I’ve had beer cheese soup once or twice but I always felt like it was lacking something. That is why I decided to combine a beer cheese soup with a chicken and wild rice soup for this recipe. It’s particular satisfying on these cold and dark Winter nights we are experiencing here in Ohio right now.
If you have a large slow cooker like this one you will be able to make a full recipe of this soup. However if you have a 6-quart or smaller size slow cooker you’ll need to halve the recipe. I serve this soup with crusty bread for mopping up all the cheesy broth left behind in the bowl. Be sure and PIN this recipe for when you are craving a hearty, comforting soup.
Slow Cooker Beer Cheese Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 5 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 rotisserie chicken white and dark meat shredded - skin and bones discarded
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice rinsed and drained
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 12 oz beer
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Place the onion, carrots, chicken, wild rice, chicken stock, beer, salt, paprika and thyme in a slow cooker set on LOW heat. Cook for 6 - 8 hours. With about 30 minutes remaining, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Top with chopped fresh parsley to serve.
fakeginger says
It’s in the 50s here today so I am definitely craving something warm and comforting. This looks delicious!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you. I hope you try it!
Mary Frances says
Gorgeous photos Jill! We’ve had crazy cool weather too (I am not complaining 🙂 ) but it has been soup weather and so I made a pot last night. It felt so strange in July! This soup looks so creamy and comforting. Thumbs up!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much Mary Frances! Your comments put a smile on my face today 🙂
Karly Campbell says
Incredibly delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much Karly! I’m always happy to link up at your party 🙂
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
Oh creamy delicious!!!
foodtasticmom says
It’s a good one!
foodtasticmom says
Zainab, did you get my original reply to this comment back when I sent it, or are you just now getting this one? I seem to be having an issue lately with my replies. Thanks for letting me know!
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
I’m only getting this one!
Michelle Nahom says
I’ve had this open for two days and I got sidetracked! I love soups like this though…we’ll definitely be making this in the fall when the sports season gets started. Soups and paninis are a mainstay for us then! It looks delicious and your pictures are beautiful. Pinning and stumbling!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much Michelle. I love comments 🙂 I’m sure you’ll love this soup… let me know after you try it!
foodtasticmom says
Michelle I seem to be having trouble with my replies lately. I replied to this comment back when you posted it. Can you let me know if you got that, or of you are just now getting this one? Thanks!
Michelle Nahom says
I don’t remember seeing a reply before! But I am most definitely looking forward to making this!
Mila Furman says
This is sooo right up my alley! Especially since I was sick! Definitely looking forward to making it real soon! And I even included it in my foodie fridays round up! Thanks for joining!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks very much Mila, I appreciate it!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks Mila! Have you tried it yet?
Sara says
Just wondering… do you need to cook the rice prior to? or do you put the rice in uncooked?
foodtasticmom says
You just put the rice in uncooked Sara. It is in the slow cooker long enough to get done. Good question!
The Burmae Kitchen says
This soup looks so tasty! Once it’s starts cooling down where I live this will definitely be on my list of things to make! Thanks for the recipe! http://burmae.wordpress.com
foodtasticmom says
You are welcome and sorry for the late reply 🙂 Have you tried it yet?
Lindsay says
This looks so good! Do you know if it could cook longer in crockpot…up to 10 hours? I’d like to start it before work.
foodtasticmom says
Thanks Lindsay. I think it would be OK, just make sure and use slow-cooking wild rice, not a rice blend. The first time I made it, I used a rice blend that was actually meant to be quick-cooking and it was mostly mush by the end. Still tasted good, but I had to add in some cooked rice afterwards. Regular wild rice takes a long time to cook and it generally holds its shape, so it should be fine for up to 10 hours. Let me know how it turns out!
Ann says
just put in the crock pot now! can’t wait to try it!!
foodtasticmom says
Hope you enjoyed this soup Ann!
LynnR says
Just wonderful! I used Lundberg Wild Blend rice and it was perfect.
foodtasticmom says
Awesome – so glad you liked it!
Alexandra Leblanc says
Welp, I don’t know where i’ve done wrong, but this didn’t turned out like i expected, AT ALL. I started this recipe yesterday evening before bed (since it’s in the slow cooker, i figured it was ok if i went to bed, it’s not the first time i’ve done it). I woke up this morning, it smelled so good, so I was excited, but when I opened the lid, it wasnt a soup. It looks plainly like stuffing. It smells amazing, probably tastes amazing, but i aint eating stuffing for dinner XD I didn’t even add the cheese (since it was specified to add it one hour before the end). It was pretty funny when i stirred this and my boyfriend and i saw the result. Let’s just say i’ll be eating out for lunch.
foodtasticmom says
I am so sorry for your poor experience Alexandra. I used wild rice, which has a longer cooking time than regular rice so that probably accounted for the difference maybe? Plus if you went to bed it may have been in longer than the specified times. I’ll note that in the comments – about cooking for less time with regular rice, or stirring the rice in more towards the end. Again, I’m sorry you had a negative experience!
T Johnson says
Excellent soup! Husband and his friend had it at a restaurant in Ely, MN and loved it, so I went searching for a recipe, and chose yours! So glad I did. I added some broccoli and celery as I needed to use them up, and hubby wanted it a bit more cheesy so I added a bit of Velveeta. Was a hit with everyone! Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!
foodtasticmom says
Absolutely love to hear this! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience. So glad you all enjoyed my soup! 🙂