Chicken and Rice Soup

This is a delicious soup  recipe that I found on iamhomesteader.com. It is comfort food at its best. I've made it several times, and is always a hit. I've made a few modifications to suit my tastes, but you can find the original recipe in the link above. The recipe calls for a rotisserie chicken, but you can make your own poached chicken. If I'm able to use that shortcut, I will.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

Yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

( I do not like garlic, so I sprinkle in some garlic salt - I can tolerate the garlic salt better than the garlic powder)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

(Optional, but it adds great flavor - you can use less)

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked 

(I find this to be too much rice, so I add 1/2 to 3/4 cup uncooked rice)

2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or cubed

Fresh parsley for garnish 

(I use dried parsley and it's just fine, because I never have fresh on hand)

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and butter and heat until butter is melted.

2. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery until softened,  stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Add your garlic and if using fresh, cook approximately one more minute.

3. Add the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring until combined.

4. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the rice. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the rice is nearly done, but still has some firmness to it. 

6. Add the chicken and continue to cook until the rice is tender and cooked through. 

7. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.