Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A friend sent me this recipe over Pinterest and I decided to try it out the night after we roasted a chicken.  This is an excellent day to try out this soup because you use the leftover shredded chicken and HOPEFULLY this also means you will have just made homemade broth from the chicken bones.  This soup is DYNAMO with homemade broth.  It sends a simple recipe just way over the top flavour wise.  So so yummy.  There are few things in the food world I relish more than a hot bowl of homemade soup with soft pillowy white (homemade) buns.  I know I know- white flour is of the devil.  But nothing else tastes so good with homemade soup.  It just doesn't. 

Source: http://www.ablossominglife.com/2014/01/creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup.html
-Some changes were made

Note: To make homemade bone broth, save the bones from your roasted chicken.  Put them in the pot with some garlic and onions and whatever herbs you have on hand (bay, parsley, thyme, etc).  Add salt to preference.  Fill to almost the top with water.  Bring to boil and then gently simmer for a couple hours.  Pour through a strainer and you are left with delicious homemade chicken broth.  Freeze whatever you won't use in the next 24ish hours.

Ingredients:

4-6 pieces of bacon, diced
butter/oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (homemade bone broth)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded chicken
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 tsp italian spices (I have a blend I use- you use whatever you have on hand you like to use)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

In a pan, cook your bacon.  Set off to the side.

In a large soup pot, add a few tbsp butter or oil (or combo), chopped carrots and onions.  Cook until soft.  Stir in garlic and herbs/spices.  Cook for a couple more minutes.  Add in broth, let it come to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat and stir in cream, cooked rice and chicken and simmer for 10 more minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't over boil.  Add back in reserved bacon.

Serve along side homemade buns/bread (one would hope!).  Serves 6.