« Into the Fray | Main | Ugh, sickness »
November 02, 2006
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
I made this soup for my mom and dad over the past weekend. It's one of the few things I'll make and bring to work for obligatory potlucks, and people seem to like it. Unfortunately, I've yet to discover that one missing ingredient that would make it as tasty as, say, Keys Cafe's version.
1 cup uncooked wild rice
3 cups water
1 lb boneless chicken breasts
1 quart chicken broth
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 carrots, quartered and sliced thinly (~ 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, halved and sliced thinly (~ 1 cup)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (~ 1 cup)
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 t table salt)
1/2 cup flour
Strained broth from cooking chicken
2 to 3 additional cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
Salt and pepper
2 cups half and half
Cook wild rice in 3 cups water for 50 - 55 minutes. Drain excess water and set aside.
Cook chicken breasts in 1 quart broth for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. (I also add some pieces of carrot, celery, and a bay leaf to the broth). Remove chicken and skim or strain broth.
When slightly cooled, cube the chicken breast.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and salt, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well. Cook mixture for a minute or two, stirring contantly.
While stirring, pour strained broth slowly into vegetable mixture.
Add two cups of broth from the second quart.
Add rice, chicken, and wine to soup.
Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Simmer soup on low heat for at least 10 - 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Just before serving, stir in the 2 cups of half and half and heat through. You can add additional broth if it's too thick.
If you plan to let the soup sit overnight, it will be significantly thicker the next day, so plan to add some broth or water to thin it out.
Also, if you plan to freeze it immediately, don't add the cream until you thaw it out and plan to serve it.
Posted by Laura at November 2, 2006 11:23 AM