CREAMY CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP

• servings: 8 - 10
• total time: 8 to 9 hours on LOW or 4

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked (180 g) wild rice blend

1 pound (455 g) boneless skinless chicken breast (about

2 to 3 breast halves)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cups chopped carrots (about 4 to 5 medium carrots)

1 cup chopped celery (about 2-3 stalks celery)

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth, store-bought or homemade (page 310)

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning blend (such as

Mrs. Dash Original Blend]

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons (55 g) butter

½ cup (68 g) all-purpose flour

2 cups (475 ml) half-and-half

Directions

1. Place the uncooked rice, chicken breasts, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, and spices in the slow cooker.

2. Cover the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

3. During the last half hour of cooking remove the chicken breasts from the soup and place on a plate to cool.

4. While the chicken is cooling, add the butter to a small saucepan and allow the butter to melt completely.

5. Add the flour to the butter and stir to combine the flour into the melted butter. Allow the butter-and-flour mixture to cook for 1 minute.

6. Slowly add the half-and-half while whisking with a wire whisk into the butter-and-flour mixture until no lumps appear. Allow mixture to cook until thick and creamy.

7. Add the mixture to the soup in the slow cooker.

8. Shred the chicken and add it back into the soup.

9. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 1 additional hour on HIGH, until the soup is nice and thick.

Notes

Serves: 8 to 10 | Cook Time: 8 to 9 hours on LOW or 4 to 5 hours on HIGH

Slow Cooker Size: 6-quart (5.7-L)

Tender shredded chicken, wild rice, and plenty of herbs and aromatics make this creamy soup stand out from the crowd. We served this soup with pretzel rolls from the bakery, and they were the perfect bread to sop up the soup!