After sending out my Hearty Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe, I received the question “Is there a reason you cook the chicken separately?” 

The short answer—you can do either. Here’s why I like to cook my chicken separately in soup recipes. 

1. It can be easy to overcook chicken in soup. I prefer cooking chicken using my slow cooker or oven, as these methods provide more control and consistency in the tenderness of the meat.
2. Chicken cooked directly in soup can cook unevenly. If you choose to cook the chicken directly in the soup, make sure to cut the meat into even pieces. Personally, I like using a cooking thermometer when I cook meat (to prevent over- or undercooking) and cooking the chicken separately allows me to do this.
3. We like shredded chicken in soup. Shredded chicken creates a thicker soup and we love getting a taste of meat in every bite! Cooking the chicken separately allows me to shred the chicken using my electric hand mixer, then add it by the handful as I stir it in with the other ingredients.
4. No need to play the guessing game! Remember, raw chicken shrinks when cooked. By using cooked chicken, I’m not guessing how much raw chicken to add to the pot. Rather, I’m able to add the cooked chicken by the handful until it reaches my desired thickness.
5. It may sound silly but I often add even MORE cooked chicken on top of my soup, almost like a garnish. I’m a big advocate of getting enough protein (at least 30-40 grams at each meal/snack) and any chance I get to double up, I’ll take! Having plenty of cooked chicken on hand to do this makes reaching my protein goal easy peasy. 

Ultimately, soup is one of the most forgiving things to make. You can’t mess it up! As with all recipes, do what works best for you and enjoy the flexibility of putting your own personal stamp on your creation. Happy cooking!