CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP

Daughter Sarah lives in Minnesota and creamy wild rice soup is as much tradition there as is The Hot Dish.      We always have wild rice in the larder and it can easily be made with leftover chicken or with rotisserie chicken.      It’s a good soup and we like the nutty flavor of the wild rice!

1 c. wild rice

¼ c. oil

1 onion, chopped

2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)

2 stalks celery (chopped)

1 t. Dried thyme (or 1 T. fresh)

¾ c. flour

8 cups chicken stock

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

Salt and pepper

1 c. half and half (or cream)

½ cup chopped parsley

Cook wild rice in 4 cups of water for 45 minutes or until it fluffs up.     Drain any remaining liquid left in the pot. Set aside.

In a large pot, add oil.    Saute onions, carrots and celery until soft, about 3 minutes.    Add thyme and flour. Cook and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in chicken stock.    Bring to a boil

Add cooked chicken, salt and pepper.     Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer for 10 minutes.    Add cooked wild rice and pour in half and half (or cream).    Bring soup back up to a boil and allow it to heat through, about 5 minutes.

Turn off heat.    Stir in chopped parsley.