Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup AKA Epic Leftovers

   

Ever had one of those weeks?  You know the kind that you could not fit in one more thing on your calendar kind of weeks?  It's only Wednesday and this is how it is rolling!  Typically, I cave in and go to the local hot and ready pizza joint and just get through it.  It came to me a long time ago that leftovers truly are a cooks creative pallet.  Take tonight for instance, on the commute home, I realized I had left over wild rice, and various fresh vegetables, add some chicken and wa la, you have Cream Of Chicken and Wild Rice soup.  I am going to give you the base recipe, but the best part, check out your frig for veggies that could be used in the soup and be creative!  I added spinach and mushrooms to my soup.

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice 

2 medium sized chicken breasts (I keep flash frozen chicken breast on hand)

1 small chopped onion

1 medium head of cabbage, chopped

2 cups cooked wild rice 

2 tsp. oregano or your favorite herbs

pepper to taste

6 to 8 cups water

4 tsp. chicken base or 4 boullion cubes

2 tbs. butter

1 tbs. olive oil or canolla oil

1/4 c. Low fat or skim milk

1.  Cut chicken breasts into 1" cubes, cook on medium heat, you may want to spray botoom of stock pot with. On-stick spray so cubes do not stick.  Add onions and cook till onions transclucent.

2.  Add water and chicken base or boullion cubes, add rice and cook over medium high heat.

3.  Melt butter and olive oil over medium heat, when butter is melted, whisk in 1/4 c. Flour to create roux.  Slowly whisk in milk.  Cook while stirring over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.  

4.  Bring chicken mixture to boil and whisk in roux.  Cook until thickened to your liking.

 Oregano, I grow my own and dry it.  See my blog on 5/10/13.  Gardening is fun and healthy too!

Roux to thicken soup, be sure to cook the flour mixture a little or it will taste pasty.

Well, there you have it!  You took an otherwise ho hum leftover night and made yourself look like Julia Childs!  Way to go!