1st place Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 cups chicken broth

1 whole chicken breast (rotisserie)

6 oz box Uncle Ben’s roasted chicken flavored wild rice

½ tsp pepper

½ cup four

¾ cup butter (stick and a half)

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

3 cups cream (can use light)

·         Set aside the seasoning packet in the rice.

·         In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Set aside.

·         In a large pot over medium heat, bring broth to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and cook rice for the time according to package. Add in chopped chicken

·         In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in contents of seasoning packet, and continue cooking vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring, to form a roux. Saute roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.

·         Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

·         Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and rice is done,15-20 minutes.