Chicken, Mushroom, and Rice Soup

They say chicken soup is good for the soul, but when you factor in the addition of mushrooms, onions, and garlic, and the always comforting effects of rice, this soup is good for a lot more things than just your soul--like your wallet, for example! Serve topped with sour cream, thyme leaves, and diced red onion.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 513 Calories

Ingredients

• water to cover
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 (3 1/2) pound whole chicken
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup medium-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 rib celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 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 1 1/2 hours.

Step 2

Remove the meat and bones to a bowl and allow to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Leave the stockpot over low heat. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and break it up into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Step 3

Transfer the bones and skin back to the stockpot and continue to simmer on low until needed.

Step 4

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add mushrooms and salt; saute until mushrooms are well browned. Add garlic and diced onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain in 4 cups of the chicken broth from the stockpot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed; remove thyme stems. Stir in the chicken meat and a few more cups of the chicken broth to achieve the desired texture. The soup will continue to thicken as the rice swells, so more may be needed if you want a thinner soup.

Step 6

Let simmer until chicken is heated through and has absorbed the flavors, and rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Taste one last time for seasoning. Adjust with more broth as needed. Serve immediately.