Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice soup

"Mom, can you make that soup with leeks in it?"  These are words I never thought would come out of my oldest child's mouth. Picky eater #1, the enemy of chicken and all things meat, sulk about dinner as if it will magically transform into a quesadilla. Yes, he asked for a soup full of leeks, potatoes, CHICKEN, celery, and carrots.

I know you want the recipe. So, without further ado and with a big "Thank you" to my friend Kendra for sharing it with me, bon apetit!

While preparing the soup, bake 2-3 chicken breasts in a 350 oven for 1/2 hour, chop when juices run clean.

In the meantime...

Cook 1 box wild rice mix WITHOUT the seasoning packet or mix half wild rice and half white rice.

Melt 1 cube butter in a large saucepan and saute 1 teaspoon minced garlic for about one minute.

Add

2 leeks cut lengthwise and sliced (clean these out really well since they tend to have dirt in between the layers)

2 peeled and sliced carrots

2 stalks celery

1 teaspoon salt,

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 bay leaves 

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sage (to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon thyme 

1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

Saute veggies until tender.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour over mixture and stir and cook (med. high heat) about 1 minute.

Add 1 qt. chicken broth while whisking into the flour mixture (keep veggies in pot).  Whisk until smooth.

Add 3-4 red potatoes chopped with skins on and cook until potatoes are tender.

Add a small carton of whipping or heavy cream first, then add 1 qt. of half and half a little at a time until desired consistency (you may or may not use the whole qt.)

Add wild rice and 2-3 cooked chopped chicken breast. Adjust the seasoning. I always cook to taste, so add what you think it needs. 

Garnish with a few chopped chives. My kids love this with french bread.

Jacquie