Here we go again — playing around with leftovers!  This time it was bits of chicken breast and white rice. And even though outdoor temps were pushing into the high 90s, I was in the mood for soup. But not the broth-y chicken soup featuring a big old matzoh ball floating around in it.  No, I wanted a hearty, creamy, veggie-filled chicken soup that would warm my heart!  Scouring through several cookbooks that line my kitchen shelves, most of them dog-eared from years of use, I blended a bit of this, a tad of that, started mixing, stirring and swishing in a large pot — et voila! My creamy chicken soup with rice was born! It served us perfectly for lunch two days in a row and totally satisfied my yearning for soup!

You can get creative and add corn and other vegetables, especially those languishing in your crisper and nearing the soft bendy stage! If adding potatoes, par-boil them and add near the end of the preparation.

The recipe below makes four servings.

Mise en Place: What You Need:
FOR THE SOUP BASE:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock

PLUS:
FOR THE SOUP:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 carrots, small dice
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups milk
2 Knorr chicken cubes
Healthy grind of black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 bay leaves
1.5 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cups cooked white rice, Basmati or Jasmine
Salt and pepper to taste

UTENSILS AND TOOLS:
Measuring spoons and cups
Vegetable knife
Saucepan
Whisk
Wooden Spoon
Heavy pot or Dutch Oven
Kitchen timer

FOR THE BASE:
Oil. Butter. Flour. Chicken Broth.
Heat the oil and butter until the butter bubbles subside. Sprinkle the flour over and mix until well combined. Whisk and cook until the base turns light gold. Slowly add 1 cup chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

FOR THE SOUP:
Butter. Oil. Carrots. Celery. Onions. Garlic.
In a large pan or Dutch Oven, heat the oil and butter. Add carrots and celery and sauté five minutes. Add onions and cook for three more minutes. Add garlic and cook for only 30 seconds — you don’t want the garlic to burn.

1 Cup Broth. then 2 Cups Broth. Soup Base.
Slowly  add 1 cup broth to vegetables and stir to mix. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. They add a lot of flavor. Add the additional 2 cups broth and then the soup base. Stir completely, and bring to a boil while stirring.

Cream. Milk.
Add to the soup and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

REDUCE HEAT TO LOW

Chicken Cubes. Black Pepper. Parsley. Bay Leaves. Herbes de Provence. Turmeric. Red Pepper Flakes. Chicken. Rice.
Add to pot, stir and simmer for fifteen minutes.

Taste, and if necessary, add salt and pepper.

Continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until soup is the thickness you like.