Fall is officially here in the northern hemisphere, and I have a wonderful recipe to help you kick off the season. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is comforting, satisfying, and brain-healthy, thanks to whole grains, vegetables, and lean chicken. This recipe takes a bit longer than the ones I normally share because the wild rice takes a while to cook. I find it the perfect leisurely dish to make on a chilly Sunday. It’s pretty hands-off once the rice starts cooking, so you’d have some time to squeeze in a little meal prep for the week if that’s your jam.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup freezes beautifully. I love to keep some on hand for easy, healthy lunches throughout the week. Maybe you could gift a batch to a caregiver in your life to put in their freezer. A wholesome dinner made with love helps out on a hectic day.

Wondering what makes this soup so brain-healthy? Here you go:

• Garlic is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that has been shown to have cardiovascular benefits (click here to see why that is important to brain health). One of the active compounds in garlic is called allicin. This compound is formed by an enzymatic reaction when garlic is chopped and allowed to sit. When cooking with garlic, try to let it sit for 5-10 minutes after chopping to allow the reaction that forms allicin to take place.
• In addition to offering a pleasantly chewy texture, wild rice lends brain-health benefits due to its nutritional profile and antioxidant activity. In fact, wild rice has 30 times more antioxidant activity than white rice. Like other whole grains, it’s also rich in fiber and B vitamins. Additionally, wild rice is a good source of micronutrients, such as manganese and copper.
• Lean poultry is rich in B vitamins (essential for nervous system health), choline, lutein, and tryptophan, which also play a role in brain health.
• As a leafy green, spinach is one of the keystone MIND Diet foods. Spinach contains a multitude of vitamins and minerals, and it’s a particularly rich source of one called Vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for brain health because it is involved in the formation of sphingolipids, a type of fat that is used in the making and survival of brain cells.

This soup would be a great way to use leftover holiday turkey, so keep it in mind as you go about your fall and winter celebrations. I always crave something nutrient-rich in the days after a traditional holiday feast and I think this would be a fantastic way to stretch those leftovers. Just add the cooked turkey in Step 3 instead of the chicken and cook until warmed through. No matter how you make it, I hope you enjoy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Happy MIND Diet eating!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

The perfect leisurely dish to make on a chilly Sunday, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is comforting, satisfying, and brain-healthy, thanks to whole grains, vegetables, and lean chicken.

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Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Notes

Save time by chopping the vegetables while the garlic cooks (just don’t let the garlic burn) and doing the rest of the prep while the rice cooks. Substitute brown rice for the wild rice mix if needed. Feel free to use cooked shredded chicken or turkey; add at step 3 and cook until warmed through.

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves minced, pressed, or grated
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 celery ribs sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup wild rice mix
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 ounces baby spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Heat oil in large pot over medium-low. Add garlic, stirring occasionally, until it is light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add onion, carrots, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Add thyme and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and bay leaves, scrape up any browned bits, cover, and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil. Add rice, cover, and bring back to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium and add chicken, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Keyword Chicken, Leafy greens, MIND Diet, Poultry, Rice, Soup, Spinach, Turkey, Whole grain, Wild rice