Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Summary

A copy-cat version of Panera Bread.

6 c

chicken broth

chicken breast halves (cooked, boneless and cubed)

1 pk

long grain and wild rice blend (6 oz. quick cooking version)

1⁄2 t

black pepper

1⁄2 c

all-purpose flour

3⁄4 c

butter

1 c

carrot (diced)

1 c

celery (diced)

1 c

onion (diced)

3 c

light cream

Open rice, and if there is one, pull out seasoning packet and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in contents of rice seasoning packet, if there is one, and continue cooking vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring, to form a roux. Saute roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.
Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and rice is done, 15-20 minutes.
Alternatively, for those who cannot get the quick-cooking version of the rice, you can put the broth on to boil and cook the 25-minute version of long grain and wild rice blend according to the directions, while sauteeing the veggies in the butter.