This recipe is an alternate version of the Food Nirvana recipe for Chicken and Rice Soup. I happened to use some additional and very different vegetables and seasonings and the results were delightful.
I decided this time around to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and not have chicken fat in the soup. I was looking for a lighter broth and this one came out to be perfect. It accentuates the many flavors of the vegetables, and the special seasonings are umami bombs that make the soup outstanding.
Now you get the pleasure of making and enjoying this very fine soup. You will be quite happy, as will your guests. This is genuine comfort food.
Ingredients: (makes approximately one and one quarter gallons of soup [not counting the separate rice])
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), precooked
2 quarts of chicken broth
1 quart of water
2 or 3 tbsp. of roast chicken flavored Better Than Bullion®
1 tbsp. of salt (or less ... vary the amount to suit yourself)
1 tsp. of black pepper
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 cups of chopped bok choy
1 cup of frozen peas
2 large fresh carrots, shaved with a potato peeler, and shavings cut into 1" long slices
1/2 cup of diced sweet onion
6 scallions cut into 1/4" pieces including the green parts
3 large fresh garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2" long by 1/2" wide pieces
1 well packed cup of chopped fresh parsley
15 small salad tomatoes, halved
1, 14 ounce can of cannelini (white kidney) beans
1 tbsp. of dried oregano
1 tbsp. of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce
2 cups of uncooked basmati rice (prepared separately from the soup, in one quart of chicken broth and then put into a separate storage container)
Directions:
Simmer the chicken breasts in two quarts of lightly salted, lightly boiling water in a two gallon soup pot for one half hour. Add additional water if necessary to keep the breasts submerged.
Remove the cooked breasts and rinse them under a hot water spray to remove albumin, then put them on a wood cutting board, keeping them separated, and allow them to cool for 15 minutes. Slice the breasts crosswise into 1/3" thick slices, discarding any fat or hard parts. Tear or cut the slices into two to four pieces each.
Empty and clean the soup pot and then add the two quarts of chicken broth, the quart of water, and the Better Than Bullion® roast chicken flavoring. Stir the contents and then add the chicken breast pieces to the pot.
Add all of the processed vegetables/herbs to the soup pot, along with the soy sauce, the sriracha sauce and the beans from the can of cannelini.
Stir the soup and bring it to a low boil on medium high heat. Simmer the soup, covered, on very low heat for 1 hour, then turn off the heat.
Steam the rice separately in one quart of hot chicken broth (for 15 minutes), then put it into a storage container.
Serve the soup hot, letting each guest combine the rice with the soup in individual bowls. This customizes the ratio of the soup to the rice according to the preferences of each guest.
Each guest can further add salt and pepper as desired.
It is nice to serve this soup with a warmed loaf of sourdough bread or rolls or saltine crackers, and butter.
I suggest serving cold, mild beverages like iced tea or lemonade.
Enjoy! This is great comfort food.