Classic Chicken Soup with Rice

It's Halloween and we are all getting sniffly noses and scratchy throats. Paul kindly made yummy chicken soup for me and the kids to fortify us for a night of serious trick-or-treating.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast (bone-in)
• 1 cup yellow onion
• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup carrot
• 1 cup brown rice
• 10 cups chicken broth (see homemade broth recipe below)
• salt

Combine rice with 3 cups of water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 45 minutes until rice is tender, but not mushy.

Poach chicken in a separate pot. Take whole chicken pieces, with bone still attached for flavor, and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook about 40 minutes until meat is done. Take chicken off the bone, shred, and set aside.

In the meantime, dice veggies. Put 10 cups of broth in a large stock pot, add veggies, and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes when veggies become tender.

Add cooked rice and shredded chicken to the stockpot; season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

I feel better already.