Name: Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Bacon
Ingredients: 4 strips bacon, chopped; 1½ tablespoons butter; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 2 ribs celery, sliced; 1 medium onion, diced; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 bay leaf; 6 cups chicken broth; ⅔ cup uncooked wild rice; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; ¼ cup flour; 2 cups half and half or cream

Ingredients

4 strips bacon, chopped
1½ tablespoons butter
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken broth
⅔ cup uncooked wild rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
¼ cup flour
2 cups half and half or cream

Directions

1
Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but about 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat.

Add the butter to the remaining bacon fat and melt. Add the carrots, celery, onion, thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the bay leaf, chicken broth and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender with a slight bite.
2
Stir in the chicken and continue cooking, uncovered, for about 5 more minutes. While the chicken is warming, whisk together the flour and half and half. Pour the mixture into the pot and continue cooking over medium heat until the soup has thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Stir in the bacon and serve immediately.