Cozy up with a bowl of Slow Cooker Low FODMAP Chicken Wild Rice Soup—a simple, flavorful dish perfect for cold days or whenever you’re craving a comforting meal.
As a Minnesotan, wild rice holds a special place in my heart—and on my plate! Minnesota is the world’s top producer of this ancient pseudo-grain, which is technically a seed from marsh grass. For thousands of years, wild rice has been harvested and cherished by the Ojibwe and other Native Peoples who have long lived on this land we now call Minnesota.
These days, chicken wild rice soup is perhaps the most beloved way to enjoy this versatile ingredient. Although delicious, chicken wild rice soup is typically made with higher FODMAP ingredients such as onion, garlic, celery, and regular milk.
My low FODMAP version uses swaps like garlic-infused oil, celery seed, and lactose-free milk to keep FODMAPs in check, allowing you (and me) to enjoy this comforting classic worry-free.
To make things even easier, I chose to use a slow cooker for this recipe—it’s perfect for cooking this cozy low FODMAP soup while freeing up time (and hands) for other tasks.
Ingredients
To make this low FODMAP chicken wild rice soup, add these ingredients to your shopping list:
- Garlic-infused olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- Dried thyme - 1 teaspoon
- Dried rosemary - 1 teaspoon
- Celery seed - ¼ teaspoon
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 1 to 1.25 pounds
- Wild rice - 1 cup uncooked
- Carrots - 1 cup diced (2-3 medium carrots)
- Bay leaves - 2
- Low FODMAP chicken broth or low FODMAP vegetable broth - 6 cups (I used 4 teaspoons Fody's broth base in 6 cups of water)
- Optional: Cornstarch - 2 tablespoons mixed into ¼ cup cold water
- Lactose-free milk or unsweetened almond milk - 1 cup
- Lemon juice - 2 teaspoons
- Optional for garnish: Fresh parsley
Low FODMAP Notes
In this section, I share information for ingredients that are either frequently asked about or have suggested serving sizes to remain low FODMAP. We each have unique tolerance levels and nutritional needs. Please listen to your body (and, if possible, work with a FODMAP-trained dietitian) to determine what is best for you. For more low FODMAP serving size info, please refer to the Monash FODMAP app and FODMAP Friendly website or app.
Garlic-infused oil is a popular way to add low FODMAP garlic flavor on the low FODMAP diet. My current favorite is Colavita Roasted Garlic Olive Oil (technically a garlic-flavored oil) that Monash University has confirmed to be low FODMAP. Learn more about why garlic-infused oil is okay in my Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes post.
Dried thyme is low FODMAP in servings of 1 teaspoon (or 2 grams). Very large amounts contain higher amounts of the FODMAP, fructan.
Dried rosemary: A low FODMAP serving is 1 teaspoon or 2 grams. Very large amounts of rosemary contain higher amounts of fructan (a FODMAP).
Dried celery seed is low FODMAP in 1 teaspoon (or 2-gram) servings.
Wild rice: A low FODMAP serving of cooked wild rice is 1 cup or 140 grams. One cup of uncooked rice yields approximately 4 cups cooked. Larger servings contain the FODMAP, fructan.
Carrots are a low FODMAP food. A suggested serving size is 75 grams or approximately half a medium carrot.
Bay leaves: A low FODMAP serving of bay leaves is one leaf or 1 gram. Larger servings contain the FODMAP, excess fructose.
Low FODMAP broth can be a great way to add low FODMAP flavor. Many store-bought options contain high FODMAP ingredients like garlic and onion. Read labels and avoid products containing these high FODMAP ingredients. My go-to is Fody's Low FODMAP Veggie Broth but you can find other options here.
Cornstarch (listed as Corn Flour on the Monash FODMAP app) is low FODMAP in servings up to ⅔ cup (or 100 grams).
Lactose-free milk is a low FODMAP milk option. Lactose-free milk is made from regular cow's milk; however, it contains an added enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down the FODMAP, lactose, to negligible amounts, making lactose-free milk a low FODMAP option. The suggested serving size is 1 cup or 250 mL.
Almond milk is low FODMAP in servings of 1 cup (250 mL) or 240 grams. My go-to is Almond Breeze unsweetened almond milk.
Lemon juice is low FODMAP in servings of 1 tablespoon or 21 grams. Larger servings, greater than ⅔ cup, contain moderate to high levels of the FODMAP, fructans.
Parsley is a low FODMAP herb. Fresh parsley has been tested and is low FODMAP in servings up to 1 cup or 16 grams.
Instructions
I also tested this recipe in my Instant Pot with a glass lid for slow cooking using the saute (step 1) and slow cook (step 2+) functions. This first photo was from that test.
Optional: For a bit of extra flavor, heat garlic-infused olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add thyme, rosemary, and celery seed, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. If skipping this step, proceed to Step 2.
Place chicken, wild rice, carrots, bay leaves, and low-FODMAP broth in the slow cooker. Add the sauteed herbs (from Step 1), or add the oil, thyme, rosemary, and celery seed if you skipped Step 1.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and the rice is tender.
Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and shred or cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Set the chicken aside briefly.
Option 1: If using the optional cornstarch (to thicken), add the cornstarch slurry and the milk to the slow cooker and stir. Return the chicken and cook until the soup has thickened, about 15 minutes.
Option 2: If using just milk (this will yield a thinner soup), stir the milk into the soup, return the chicken, and cook until everything is warm.
Stir in the lemon juice. Adjust the flavor with additional salt and pepper.
Serve warm, topped with optional chopped parsley.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover soup in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Related
Looking for other low-FODMAP soup recipes? Try these:
Recipe
Slow Cooker Low FODMAP Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
Cozy up with a bowl of Slow Cooker Low FODMAP Chicken Wild Rice Soup. Packed with tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and flavorful herbs, this FODMAP-friendly twist on a classic is as easy as it is comforting. Just set it, forget it, and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme // note 1
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- 1 to 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups low FODMAP chicken broth or low FODMAP vegetable broth // note 2
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into ¼ cup cold water (optional)
- 1 cup lactose-free milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Optional: For a bit of extra flavor, heat garlic-infused olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add thyme, rosemary, and celery seed, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. If skipping this step, proceed to Step 2.
- Place chicken, wild rice, carrots, bay leaves, and low-FODMAP broth in the slow cooker. Add the sauteed herbs (from Step 1), or add the oil, thyme, rosemary, and celery seed if you skipped Step 1.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and the rice is tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and shred or cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Set the chicken aside briefly.
- Choose your soup's path:
- If using the optional cornstarch (to thicken), add the cornstarch slurry and the milk to the slow cooker and stir. Return the chicken and cook until the soup has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- If using just milk (this will yield a thinner soup), stir the milk into the soup, return the chicken, and cook until everything is warm.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Adjust the flavor with additional salt and pepper.
- Serve warm, topped with optional chopped parsley.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover soup in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Low FODMAP Serving: One serving of this recipe (2 cups) uses low FODMAP amounts of ingredients at the time of publication. Individual tolerance may vary, and low FODMAP servings may change. For more information on specific ingredients, please refer to the Monash FODMAP App or check out the "FODMAP Notes" section (above the recipe).
Note 1: I like to rub the herbs, especially rosemary and thyme, in between my (clean) hands as I add them to the oil or slow cooker to help break them up and release some extra flavor.
Note 2: I used 6 cups water + 4 teaspoons Fody Foods Vegetable Broth Base.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American, Low FODMAP
Pin it for later
Julie says
I used homemade chicken broth and substituted lactose free evaporated milk for regular milk and then omitted cornstartch and water. With the evaporated milk, the soup was creamy and thicker.
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
That sounds like a great substitution. Thanks for sharing, Julie! -Emily
Anna says
This recipe was so flavorful and filling! I just learned that celery is high fodmap, so was looking for soup ideas without it. Thank you for creating this. I don't even miss the onions and garlic!