My plans for the last part of the week were seriously skewed by the cold that hit me as I was sleeping Tuesday night. It has gone from making me tired, to congested, into my throat and lungs today. Ergo, I didn't have a lot of energy for cooking... but I was craving a good broth soup to soothe my aching body.

Here's what I came up with. This would be just as good with turkey instead of chicken. It may also benefit from the addition of a stick or two of celery, but alas, my fridge was celery-less while I was concocting. I also used the chicken juice from Monday night's roast as a portion of the stock, which made it even heartier and more gelatin-filled. Result: deliciousness!

Jude described it as "soup you chew." I could almost call this a "stew", but the quick cook time makes it seem more "soup-like" to me.

Enjoy!

(Click on the title for a downloadable 4x6 recipe card.)

Hearty Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 cups chicken stock (homemade is best)
1 lg. sweet onion, sliced and quartered
2 cups cooked wild rice*
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced
4 cups diced boiled potatoes, OR 4 large red potatoes, peeled and diced
4 lg. carrot sticks, peeled and sliced
¾ cup frozen peas
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
¾ tsp. dried thyme
¾ tsp. dried oregano
Cracked pepper, to taste


Cook stock, rice, chicken, and vegetables (except peas) in a large pot on medium for about ten minutes. Add peas and seasonings. (If using cooked potatoes, wait and add them now.) Cook another five to ten minutes, until potatoes and carrots can be broken with a spoon. Adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Serve with buttered, whole-grain toast.

Makes about 12 cups.

*To prepare enough wild rice just for this recipe:
Soak 1/2 cup of wild rice in warm, filtered water for about 7 hours. Drain, rinse, and cook in about 1 cup of water with 1/4 tsp. salt on lowest temperature possible for 45 minutes.