Chicken Wild Rice Soup Attempts to Save Cranky Family

With the flu in full swing at our house, we had to cancel plans to attend a wedding of a family friend. I decided it was time to make some chicken soup to help send this sickness packing. (It didn't actually work but I like to imagine it did.)
I used chicken thighs instead of breasts. Thighs don't dry out like breasts do - even soaking in chicken stock in the crock pot a chicken breast can be as dry as cork. I don't know about you but I've had some REALLY dry chicken out of a crockpot.
This recipe wasn't exactly set it and forget it - sure it cooked all day, but I had a bunch to do at the end to finish it off - but I thought it was good. Don't ask my cranky family what they thought. We had to beg them to eat it in order to get more bread. And Andy? He was too cranky to ask. I thought it was good - add some salt to taste and enjoy.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup wild rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half* (or more milk)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.
Stir in chicken stock, wild rice, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Add mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and half and half, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Stir chicken and milk mixture into the slow cooker. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.