Chicken, Mushroom and Rice Soup

6 servings
Ingredients:

Stock:
1 (3-½ pound) whole chicken
1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 rib celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1 large bay leaf

Soup:
¼ cup unsalted butter
1-pound mushrooms, thickly sliced (use any variety or mix you like)
1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
1 cup diced red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup medium-grain white rice

Directions:
1) Place chicken, carrot, celery, onion, and bay leaf in a stockpot. Add 4 quarts of cold water, or
enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer
gently until the meat can be easily pulled off the bones and is no longer pink in the center, about
1½ hours
2) Remove the meat and bones to a bowl and allow to cool enough to handle. Leave the
vegetables in the stockpot on low heat. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and tear it
into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
3) Transfer the bones and skin back to the stockpot and continue to simmer on low until
needed. Strain stock when you are ready to add to mushroom mixture.
4) Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add mushrooms and
salt; sauté until mushrooms are browned. Add garlic and diced onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add 4 cups of chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, and thyme.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
5) Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more
salt if needed; remove thyme stems. Add the chicken meat and a few more cups of chicken

broth to achieve the desired consistency. The soup will continue to thicken as the rice cooks.
Add more broth if you would like a thinner soup.
6) Let simmer until chicken is heated through and rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Taste
and adjust seasoning and add more stock, if needed. Garnish with thyme leaves, chopped red
onion, sour cream and enjoy!
The rice will continue to absorb liquid so leftovers may be more like a stew. It can be served
this way or thinned with additional broth or water when reheating.

Tips:
● Use any onion that you have on hand.
● Use store bought broth and pre-cooked chicken.
● Substitute beef stock and beef for the chicken.