Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Pumpkin

The light yellow is the cubed pumpkin

In 2020, my friend Tracy was participating in #CROCKtober by preparing her family's
meals in the crockpot all October. As it would happen, Momma Mary and I had a hunger for wild rice and had cubed pumpkin and homemade chicken broth begging to be used which meant, I created a quick crockpot recipe for Tracy and our household.

Into the crockpot went easy ingredients and out came a savory, makes-the-world-right soup. BUT, this is a new year to change up that recipe...so, I made it creamy!

CREAMY CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP with PUMPKIN

Into the crockpot:

1-2 Onions, diced

Several Carrots, sliced like coins

1-2 Garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Celery ribs, diced

2-3 cups Pumpkin, cubed (or cook separately, see sidenote, below)

1-2 cups Wild Rice blend

10-12 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (easily edited to turkey broth after Thanksgiving)

2-3 cups Chicken (omit for vegan version or use turkey after Thanksgiving)

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh sage, fresh thyme

1-2 8 ozs blocks Cream Cheese (Miyoko's Creamery makes a wonderful vegan cream cheese found at our local Publix grocery store or online)

• 
  Place all ingredients in your crockpot -not the cream cheese which you'll save for just before serving- 
• Turn to Medium for an all-day or overnight slow cook -or- shorten the cooking time by dialing up to High until all ingredients are cooked and the house smells yummy!
• Just before serving, remove 2 cups of broth from your crockpot and ladel into your blender with the block(s) of cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the zipped-down cream cheese broth mixture into the crockpot and stir to incorporate.
• Ladel into soup bowls and enjoy!

Here's a sidenote: If your family is not crazy about pumpkin, no worries. Either strike from the recipe -or- in a separate small pot, add the cubed pumpkin and your choice of broth just until covered and gently boil until soft. When the soup is ready to be served, spoon the cooked pumpkin into the bowl and ladel soup over it!

This recipe is good for your tummy and your soul, but don't take my word for it. Go Play with Your Food and let me know how it turned out...

"Sam"