Chicken and Rice Soup

This soup is very mild flavored. If you'd like, you may add a bit more salt to taste but we prefer it the way it is -- not too salty.

The original recipe called for mushrooms, but I substituted carrots since Randy doesn't care for mushrooms.

Be sure to use bone-in chicken breasts. They add more flavor to the soup than boneless chicken does. Plus, they are less expensive.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Yield: 8 cups

2 skinless bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

7 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups thinly sliced or chopped peeled carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced celery (include the leaves)

3/4 cup brown rice (not "minute rice")

2 tsp. crushed garlic

3/4 tsp. dried thyme

3/4 tsp. dried rosemary

1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Coat a 4-5 quart pot with nonstick cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for a couple of minutes on each side or until the chicken is nicely browned.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool enough for handling. Cook the soup for an additional 30 minutes or until the rice and vegetables are tender.

Pull the chicken meat from the bones, and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to the soup, and simmer for an additional minute or two. Serve hot.