A cozy, creamy one-pot soup made with rotisserie chicken and a box of long grain and wild rice mix. The rice's seasoning packet does double duty, flavoring the whole pot.
Ingredients
Each cost is for the amount this recipe uses, not the whole package. Pantry staples like flour, sugar, vanilla and spices cost more on your first trip, then last for many batches. Rows marked “Not priced”, like water and toppings, aren't in the total.
| Ingredient | Price used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Tbsp butter | $3.96/lbBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.49 |
| 1 onion, diced | $1.06/lbUSDA, 2023 | $0.53 |
| 2 carrots, diced | $1.01/lbUSDA, 2023 | $0.25 |
| 2 celery ribs, diced | $1.33/lbUSDA, 2023 | $0.27 |
| 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional) | $4.01/lbUSDA, 2023 | $2.00 |
| 3 cloves garlic, minced | $0.06/cloveEstimate | $0.18 |
| ½ tsp dried thyme | $0.08/tspEstimate | $0.04 |
| ⅓ cup all-purpose flour | $0.55/lbBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.05 |
| 8 cups chicken broth | $0.07/fl ozEstimate | $4.48 |
| 1 (6-oz) box long grain and wild rice mix, with its seasoning packet | $1.99/boxEstimate | $1.99 |
| 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken | $6.99/chickenEstimate · one chicken gives about 3½ cups | $5.94 |
| 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half | $0.25/fl ozEstimate · priced as heavy cream | $2.00 |
| Black pepper and salt, to taste | $0.05/dishEstimate | $0.05 |
| Total | $18.27 | |
| Per serving (8 servings) | $2.28 |
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 (6-oz) box long grain and wild rice mix, with its seasoning packet
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- Black pepper and salt, to taste
Directions
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute.
- Make the base. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring so no lumps form.
- Cook the rice. Stir in the rice and its seasoning packet. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
- Finish. Stir in the chicken and cream and heat through for 5 minutes without boiling. Season with pepper. Taste before adding salt, since the broth and seasoning packet are already salty.
Tips
- It thickens as it sits. The rice keeps soaking up broth, so thin leftovers with a splash of broth or milk when reheating.
- No rice mix? Use ¾ cup plain wild rice blend plus 1 tsp salt, and simmer until tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Using raw chicken? Simmer 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs in the broth for 20 minutes before adding the rice, then shred and return them at the end.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can freeze it for up to 3 months, though the rice will be a little softer after thawing.
How we priced this recipe
- BLS, Sep 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, U.S. city average, September 2026.
- USDA, 2023: USDA Economic Research Service, Fruit and Vegetable Prices, 2023 (the latest year published).
- Estimate: Food Butler estimate of a typical U.S. store-brand shelf price, October 2026. Neither BLS nor USDA publishes an average price for these items.
Your store's prices will differ. See all recipes.