Recipe Background
Ultimate Homestyle Soup: Hearty soup made easy with a slow cooker.
A few years back, on the day I passed my driving test, a wave of exhilaration hit me harder than the Midwest winds on a fall morning. Eager to share this newfound freedom, I decided to invite my friends over for a comfort-filled evening. The tiny kitchen in my parent's home was already familiar territory, the whir of the slow cooker a constant soundtrack. I dug out my favorite cream-colored ceramic pot, ready to fill it with the homestyle magic of chicken and rice. A generous dollop of salted butter met the skillet, a sizzling overture to the diced yellow onions it soon enveloped. I always found solace in the scent of onions turning golden and tender over moderate heat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 4 ribs celery sliced
- 3 large carrots sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups instant rice
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Directions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onions to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until just tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer the onions to a 6-quart slow cooker
- Add the chicken breasts, the celery, the carrots, the garlic, the poultry seasoning, the soy sauce, the black pepper, the bay leaf, and the chicken broth to the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3-4 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
- Transfer the chicken breasts from the slow cooker to a cutting board.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts.
- Using a mesh strainer or a spoon, skim any foam from the top of the soup in the slow cooker.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Add the shredded chicken and the instant rice to the slow cooker and cook until the rice is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Taste the soup for seasoning and add the salt, as needed.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve.
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