Gather all of your ingredients.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the hot oil and sauté until tender (5 min).

Clean and slice the carrots and celery if using fresh. Add them to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes more.

Add the chicken breast (whole), bay leaf, oregano, thyme, cracked pepper, wild rice, and 6 cups of water to the pot. Do not add salt yet. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for one hour.

Near the end of the hour, melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk in 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour and cook for two minutes.

Whisk in the milk and allow it to come to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Once it reaches a simmer and thickens slightly, remove it from the heat.

In the large pot, carefully shred the chicken with two forks. Rinse and chop the parsley. Add the parsley and the thickened milk mixture to the soup. Season with salt to taste.