Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

So, following up on the previous post, yesterday we had the leftovers of the Sauteed Chicken with Mixed Veggies & Wild Rice turned into soup. The only thing we had left over was the sauteed chicken & veggies, so you have to add extra wild rice to the dish. I also chopped up a few extra carrots and celery sticks to add in. I also had homemade chicken stock on hand, which I think helped add a depth of flavor.

As predicted, it was faaaaaaaaaabulous. Rich and hearty and perfect for a blustery fall day. Plus, is there anything easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients into a crockpot and letting it cook all day? I think not.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Leftover Sauteed Chicken with Mixed Veggies
3/4 cup wild rice, uncooked
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
garlic powder
ginger powder
parsley
thyme
oregano
savory
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot (herbs and spices to taste). Set crockpot on low and let cook 8 hours or until rice is done. Taste; adjust seasoning as needed. Serve piping hot.

Sauteed Chicken with Mixed Veggies & Wild Rice

My general rule of thumb for this blog is that I don't post recipes that I am not satisfied with.

I'm breaking that rule right now.

Last night's dinner was supposed to be Chicken & Barley Stew. I had been fairly confident we had barley on hand when I left that morning, so I didn't check the pantry. Turns out we didn't have any. So I had to scramble.

The result wasn't BAD, it just wasn't great. The timing was off with the cooking because the rice takes 45 minutes, so the chicken was a bit dry and there wasn't much of a sauce/gravy. The flavors were good, I just failed on execution.

While discussing the meal with The Spouse, I had a brain wave that the leftovers - of which there were a lot of. The chicken breasts were HUGE - would make a fabulous soup. That's the reason I'm posting this - to set up the tasty soup we're having tonight.

Sauteed Chicken with Mixed Veggies & Wild Rice

1/2 cup wild rice
1 1/4 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped up into bite-size pieces
1 medium red onion, diced
1 large package frozen mixed vegetables
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp black pepper

In a small sauce pan combine the wild rice and water. Bring to a boil, stir once. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 45 minutes or until rice is done. Let sit 5 minutes.

While rice is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sautee about 5 minutes. Add in chicken and sautee, stirring occasionally, until mostly cooked thru, about 8-10 minutes. Add in frozen veggies, stir and cover. Let cook until veggies are warmed thru, about 5 minutes.

Plate chicken & vegetable mixture over wild rice.