chicken & wild rice soup

The weather is changing and it's flu season again. We were all sick at home the past few days and we were tired of eating porridge, so we decided to explore into this famous Minnesota wild rice soup. It turned out really good and hearty. Not feeling well? This soup will make you feel better. :) 

Ingredients: 

Rotisserie Chicken - 1/2 (about 1 lbs) or chicken breast (2, cooked)
Chicken stock - 4 cups
Water - 2 cups
Quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet - 1 (6 ounce)
Broccoli - 1 head (cut into small pieces)

Butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Salt & Pepper - 1/2 tsp each
Flour - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 cups **see TIPS

Prep:

1. Shred rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast. 
2. Cut broccoli into small pieces and blench for 2 minutes in the boiling water. Set it aside.
3. Take the seasoning packet from the quick cooking rice box. 
4. Combine flour, salt & pepper.

Cook:

1. In a 5-quart pot, heat chicken stock, water and chicken until boil. 
2. Turn off the heat once it's boiled. Add in long grain and wild rice (not the seasoning packet). Cover and set it aside. Make sure the heat is off. 
3. In another pot, melt butter. Once it's melted, add in the seasoning from the rice box. Mix until bubbly. 
4. Add in flour mixture all at once. Mix constantly to form a ball. 
5. Slowly, add in milk. Keep stirring using whisk so the milk will incorporate well with the flour mixture.
6. Add the milk mixture and broccoli to chicken stock/water/chicken mixture. Heat for 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Stir using wooden spatula until nice and creamy. 

Serve:

1. Serve with freshly baked bread sticks/rolls. 

TIPS

• You can use milk, buttermilk or heavy milk for this. The soup can get pretty thick, so low-fat milk is perfect.