cream of chicken & rice soup

Cream of Chicken & Rice Soup 

Ingredients:
6 tbs butter
6 tbs all purpose flour
6 cups of milk
2 boneless, skinless cooked chicken breasts *or 1 pint pressure canned    chicken
1 cup cooked rice *wild rice or brown rice works if you are going to freeze
1 jar of carrots, sliced 
1 large onion, chopped
seasonings to taste: 
salt & pepper 
2 Tbs sweet basil
2 Tbs chives
1 Tbs parsley 
*hot sauce, optional
*1-2 Tbs Better then Bullion Chicken paste, optional

Instructions:
Start by making a roux in a large stock pot. 
Melt butter over medium heat.
Once melted, add chopped onions and cook until translucent (approx 10 mins) 
Add flour and stir vigorously using a whisk. Cook the flour/onion mixture for about 1 minute.

Slowly begin to add your milk *warm in bowl in microwave to get the chill off milk, this will speed up incorporating it into soup. Whisk in milk, 2 cups at a time. Make sure you eliminate any lumps.  Add your seasonings and taste as you go. Bring soup up to a boil, then reduce to low simmer (stirring constantly) 
Add carrots and chicken and cooked rice. Adjust any seasonings. 
Simmer on low until hot and ready, usually about 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Note: *under-cook wild or brown rice slightly if you plan on freezing this soup. 
Recipe Adapted from: The Kneady Homesteader 
Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home 

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