Creamy Wild Rice Chicken Soup with Roasted Mushrooms

1. Choose your cooking method. For the slow cooker, combine the rice, chicken, carrots, celery, shallots, broth, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours. 2. For the Instant Pot alternative, combine the same soup ingredients listed in step 1, without the extra water. Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then quick-release the pressure. 3. For the stovetop alternative, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large soup pot. Cook the carrots, celery, and shallots with a pinch each of salt and pepper for 3–5 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the broth, chicken, rice, thyme, sage, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 35–45 minutes, until the rice is tender. 4. While the soup cooks, heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest on a baking sheet with the melted butter (use the remaining butter for the stovetop method). Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and crisp. 5. Shred the cooked chicken using two forks. Stir it into the soup with the cream or milk, parmesan, and spinach or kale. For the slow cooker, heat for about 30 minutes; for the Instant Pot, use sauté mode for about 10 minutes; for the stovetop, cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley. If the slow-cooker soup is too thick, add another 1/2 cup water. 6. Mash the roasted garlic with a fork. Stir it into the soup along with the mushrooms and any buttery juices from the baking sheet. 7. Ladle into bowls and finish with rosemary and extra parmesan.