Pamper yourself and family with a comforting, satisfying homemade chicken soup. It's a hearty and healthy dish to serve on cold days or any time of year. Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich to complete the meal, if desired.
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 medium white onion, diced
1 c. sliced carrots
1/2 c. sliced celery
1 c. white rice
1 T. freshly grated ginger
1 T. minced garlic
8 c. low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried oregano
1 c. heavy cream, optional
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add in 1 T. olive oil. Sear chicken, 2 minutes per side until golden brown, but not cooked through. Remove from pot; set aside.
Add remaining olive oil to the pot; add onion, carrots and celery; saute 4-5 minutes. Add rice, ginger and garlic; toast 2-3 minutes.
Return chicken to the pot; add chicken stock/broth; season with thyme and oregano; simmer 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from the pot; shred; return to pot. Pour in heavy cream, if desired. Cook for 5 minutes, until rice and vegetables are soft. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Variations:
If chicken thighs are used, they would need to simmer for approximately 30 - 40 minutes and are preferred when using brown or wild rice, due to the longer cook times.
Brown Rice would need to cook for about 50-60 minutes. Wild Rice would need to cook for about 40-45 minutes.
If the rice absorbs too much liquid, add more chicken stock/broth, to taste.
6 servings.