Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice (Print version)

Hearty chicken and wild rice soup made easy in the Instant Pot.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup carrots, diced
03 - 1 cup celery, diced
04 - 1 cup yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

06 - 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend, rinsed

→ Broth & Dairy

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp dried parsley
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - 1 tsp kosher salt

→ Other

14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil, then sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
02 - Add chicken, wild rice, chicken broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
03 - Secure the lid, set valve to Sealing, and cook on Manual/Pressure Cook (High) for 25 minutes.
04 - Once done, allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Take out the chicken, shred with two forks, and return it to the pot.
06 - For a creamier soup, stir in the heavy cream. For a thicker consistency, add cornstarch slurry and simmer on Sauté mode for 2–3 minutes until thickened.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, pressure cooker magic included, so weeknight dinners don't have to be stressful.
  • Wild rice has this nutty, chewy texture that makes every spoonful feel substantial, not just broth with stuff floating in it.
  • The soup tastes even better the next day, which means you've accidentally made lunch too.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing of wild rice—unrinsed rice can make your broth cloudy and starchy, and that's when people wonder why it doesn't look restaurant-quality.
  • The chicken will continue cooking slightly during the pressure release, so you actually want to pull it out slightly underdone if you're worried about overcooking it, though honestly the pressure method is forgiving.
03 -
  • Toast your wild rice in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before rinsing it—this brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.
  • If your broth tastes too salty, a pinch of sugar actually balances it better than adding water and diluting everything else.

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