Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

    
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Main Soup:
2-3 cups skinless cooked chicken breasts *shred or dice
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups cooked wild rice
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

seasonings to taste:
salt & pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbs sweet basil
2 Tbs chives
1 Tbs parsley
*few shakes hot sauce, optional
*1-2 Tbs Better then Bullion Chicken paste, optional

Roux:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream (I use 2 cups 2% milk & 2 cups heavy cream with great results)

Directions: 

• Saute veggies in large pot on stovetop for 5-7 mins.
• Add in garlic and stir around 1 minute before adding chicken broth.
• Add in cooked chicken and seasonings, bring to a high simmer then lower heat, cover and let simmer low 35 minutes.
• *Make your wild rice during this time. I make and use a box of Rice a Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice.

Make the Roux mixture separately - warming the milk first helps the entire mixture thicken quicker. This is what turns your soup into a "Cream Soup"...

• Melt butter in a pan with flour, stir constantly - you're cooking the flour. You want the flour to brown and smell slightly nutty or your soup will taste like paste.
• Stir in warmed milk and bring mixture to a good boil while constantly stirring until thickened.
• Add roux mixture to soup pot.
• Taste soup to see if you need anymore salt, pepper, hot sauce or better then bullion.
• Simmer 5 more minutes if you've made additions. Serve Hot.

CANNING NOTE: 
IF you're wanting to can this - you must do so BEFORE adding ANY of the Rice or Roux. You would make the Rice and Roux Mixture upon opening the soup to heat and eat - rice, dairy, flour and butter cannot be canned.