I gave this soup to a family in my hall who was sick, and they said they really liked it:
Rosemary Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients:
5 lbs bone-in, skin on chicken breast (about 5 or 6 breasts)
2 T. dried rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
5 Carrots, peeled
4 stalks celery, peeled and/or rinsed
1 large onion
4 large cloves garlic
2 cups wild rice (I use a mix of brown, red, long grain (black?) rice and barley)
5 stems fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
3 quarts chicken stock (my favorite recipe is here.)
Directions:
Set oven to 400 degrees.
In a large baking dish lined with aluminum foil, place the chicken breasts, breast side up. Slide some of the dried rosemary between the skin and flesh so that it's visible. Coat each breast liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
At the same time, cook the rice according to package directions (usually 2 c. water for 1 c. rice). Do not rinse the rice prior to cooking - the starches help bind the soup.
In the meantime, chop the carrots and celery into about 1/2 inch cubes (or half-moons) and dice the onion slightly smaller. Mince the garlic. Mince about 1 T. of the fresh rosemary as small as you can.
Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large stock pan. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the minced rosemary and 1 T. salt and pepper, each.
While the veggies are sauteing, the chicken should be cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and pull the meat off the bones. Shred or chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, being careful to remove any rosemary that may have burned.
Add the chicken to the stock pot and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and stock. Wrap the fresh rosemary and bay leaves in either cheesecloth or a coffee filter, creating a little bundle (or bouquet garni). Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
This soup freezes VERY well. This recipe will make about 8 servings. The chicken and rice can be made in advance, a couple days before the soup is made. I prefer a very carrot-y soup, so the ratio of carrot to celery above is larger than usual. If you're using a commercial stock, add less salt to the veggies as they saute.