Chicken Chowder

We don't get rainy days that often, but when we do, I greatly enjoy them.  I love being able to stay home inside with the gray and rain outside.  I love sitting under blankets and just listening and watching the rain.  And there is just something about a rainy day that creates a necessity for soup.  So when I woke up the other day to rain, the planned dinner was scrapped and one of my favorite soups was inserted.  I grew up in a climate that gets a little colder than where I am now, and once a year, a friend of ours would put on a soup night.  She would make several different kinds of soup and invite lots of people over.  I can remember walking around looking at the various kinds, but ultimately I was looking for two soups: Chicken Chowder and a cold strawberry soup that I was always reminded did not count for dinner.  My mom acquired the recipe and passed it on to me.

CHICKEN CHOWDER

7 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. rice
3 med. carrots, sliced 
3 celery sticks, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
6 T butter
6 T flour
1 pt. half & half
4 c. cooked, diced chicken
Salt and Pepper

In a 5 qt. kettle, heat broth to boiling.  Add rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add veggies - cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.  In a separate saucepan, melt butter.  Blend in flour and cook until bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Blend in half & half and 1 c. broth from the kettle. Heat and stir mixture until it boils and thickens.  Stir mixture into the kettle.  Add chicken and heat until hot.

How I've altered this: I usually season my chicken when I cook it.  I also add basil, parsley and thyme to the soup itself at the beginning to give it a little bit more flavor.  And since I love the zucchini, I've been known to add a little extra!  The soup itself thickens the longer you let it stand--so if you like a thicker soup, wait a bit before eating.  My husband, who enjoys things much spicier than the rest of us, usually adds sriracha to accommodate his preference.

I followed the recipe from Margi Schmidt.