Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Wild rice grows in abundance in the northern part of our state (Minnesota) and is very popular to use in recipes. This Chicken Wild Rice Soup is thick and hearty.  It is perfect for taking off the chill of winter.

A couple of hints when making this recipe. To cut down on the preparation time, cook your chicken the day before and soak your rice overnight (see instructions below).

You can easily turn this recipe into a slow cooker meal for your family too. Just sauté the first four ingredients, stir in flour and place in slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the cream. Add cream 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cook on low for several hours.

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CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP

1/2 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup quinoa flour
2 cups wild rice, soaked overnight (see instructions below)
7 cups chicken broth
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1 cup heavy cream or additional broth

To soak wild rice: rinse 2 cups rice and place in medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons yogurt (or lemon juice) and 4 cups warm water. Let sit overnight. Drain and rinse again.  Check out this website for more information on soaking grains here.

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots and celery. Sauté 5 minutes. Add wild rice and sauté 5 more minutes. Add flour and stir well. Slowly add broth and stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

Add chicken and remaining spices. Stir. Add cream and let simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Additional broth can be added to this recipe if you prefer your soup to have a thinner consistency.

Makes 6 to 8 servings