"Real" Wild Rice Chicken Soup
The cooler temperatures of autumn usher in a new palette of food and wine like "Real" Wild Rice Chicken soup paired with a French Chardonnay.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 5 slices applewood smoked bacon I like Trader Joes brand
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 1 heaping cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups curly kale, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 8 oz. cooked chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch size pieces I use Ina Garten's oven baked method, recipe below
- 8 oz. "real" wild rice, cooked
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Ina Garten's Baked Chicken Breasts
- Preheat oven to 350 F. On a sheet pan place bone in chicken breast. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
For the Soup
- Preheat oven to 400 F. On a sheet pan lined with foil, place the 5 bacon slices. Bake for about 10 minutes. Turn bacon slices over and bake until bacon is just crisp. Place on a paper towel lined plate and let cool.
- In a dutch oven add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté for 3 minutes. Add the thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and one cup of water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped kale, salt and pepper; simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken and wild rice.
- In a small/medium size bowl combine half-and-half and flour. Whisk together until well mixed. Slowly stir the mixture into the soup; continue to simmer for about 2 minutes or until the soup thickens.
- To serve; ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped bacon pieces.