Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Hi! Rachel here from Craving some Creativity and all I have to say is Yay! It’s soup season! Today I have a great soup recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Soup is just my kind of comfort food. I imagine curling up with a good book and a soup that warms your belly and your soul. This soup, which does require some chopping, makes good use of convenient items like 20 minute wild rice (which can even be made the day before). You can also use rotisserie chicken leftovers to cut down on the preparation time.

I will let you in on a little secret though. The one ingredient you should not skip is the slivered almonds. They may seem like a garnish, but don’t be fooled. It truly adds something to this hearty meal of a soup and you will be surprised at how it changes the flavor profile. I stir a few in at the end. Well, unless you don’t like nuts or have an allergy. In that case, you can skip them, but I tried. 🙂

Chicken and Rice Soup

Makes 6 servings

o 1 6oz box of long grain and wild rice (Uncle Ben’s), original or chicken flavor
o 4 strips of bacon, diced
o 4 oz of button mushrooms, sliced
o ½ of a medium yellow onion, diced
o 3 carrots, diced
o 1/2 cup celery, diced
o 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
o 2 tbsp sherry
o 1 cup chicken broth
o 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
o 1 ½ tsp thyme
o ½ cup milk
o ¼ cup heavy cream
o ¼ cup sour cream or light sour cream
o Salt and pepper
o Toasted slivered almonds

Cook rice according to package directions. In a large pot over medium-high heat, saute bacon pieces until crisp, about 8-9 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve drippings, lower heat to medium, and add mushrooms and onions. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sherry and deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping up the bits on bottom. Stir in broth, cooked wild rice, chicken, and thyme. Bring soup to a boil. Add milk, cream, sour cream, and bacon pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to warm soup to temperature but not boil. Garnish with almonds and bacon if desired.

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