Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Heirloom Carrots, Cremini Mushrooms and Bacon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 8 bacon slices, chopped

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 5 heirloom carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 

• 1 cup thinly sliced celery

• 2 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

• 12 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 10 cups unsalted chicken stock

• 12 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (about 3 cups)

• 1 (8-oz.) package precooked wild rice (can substitute with 4 oz uncooked and just cook according to package instructions)

• 2 cups half-and-half

• 1/3 cup gluten free flour

Directions:

• Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high.

• Add olive oil and bacon to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp.

• Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in pan.

• Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes.

• Add salt, pepper, thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes.

• Add stock; bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

• Stir in chicken and rice. 

• Combine half-and-half and flour in bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir into soup; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.

• Top with bacon and serve.