This slow cooker creamy chicken and rice soup is incredibly simple to make. Made with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, chicken, rice, variety of spices, and finished off with cream. Pair this with grilled cheese or crusty bread for dinner on a cold evening!
Place the chicken into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker, . Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, white pepper, and bay leaves. Then, add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, rice, water, and chicken broth.
Give it a stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred the chicken in to small pieces, then place them back into the slow cooker.
Make the roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Let the mixer simmer, whisking often, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. You know it's down if you dip a spoon in it and the wipe your finger on the back of the spoon and the mixture stays in place.
Add the milk mixture into the slow cooker and give it a stir. Place the cover back on and allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm— garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool completely prior to freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Milk: Any type of milk works but whole milk will make it the creamiest.
Heavy Cream: The heavy cream helps make this recipe creamy. This recipe can easily be made dairy free by swapping the butter with vegan butter, the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream alternative.
Vegetables: Feel free to use any type of vegetables that you prefer or have sitting in the refrigerator.
Rice: Your favorite type of rice can be used in this recipe, like basmati or brown rice. Keep in mind that the cook time may vary slightly so just check it during the cooking process.