Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.33 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw taste and form a light paste that will thicken the soup.
4. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, a cup at a time, whisking well after each addition so no flour lumps remain.
5. Add the rinsed wild rice blend, thyme, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
6. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice grains have split open and turned tender with a pleasant chew (check the package, since wild rice blends vary in cook time).
7. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until warmed through.
8. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half, warming gently for 2 to 3 minutes without letting the soup come to a hard boil, which can cause it to separate.
9. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
10. Season with the salt and pepper, tasting as you go since rotisserie chicken and broth both add saltiness.
11. If the soup is thicker than you like after the rice absorbs liquid, thin it with a splash of broth or half-and-half before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is an estimate per serving and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.