Chicken Rice Soup

 

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I've talked about fooling my kids (and sometimes my husband) with foods I want them to eat.

This recipe is no different.  While my son wouldn't eat any of the carrots, he did eat the rice.

How, you say?  He won't eat rice.  Won't touch it.  Tears spill out of his eyes at the mere mention of rice.  The same thing happens with broccoli, but I haven't figured out to fool him on that one yet.

This one?

Well, one of my better "Mom" moments, if I do say so myself.

I put the bowl in front of him, and told him to eat.

"What is that?" he asked with obvious disdain pointing to the rice in his bowl.

Ever quick on my feet, I said, "It'd just broken up noodles."

"Oh.  Okay," he said as he dug in.

Good thinking, huh?

He not only ate his bowl, but asked for another.

Then the next day, magic happened.  He asked for it for dinner.

I'm actually hugging myself at this fact.

Chicken Rice Soup
Adapted from:  Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible


Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut up and rinsed
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, halved crosswise
1 large onion, halved
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. black pepper
1 cup brown rice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parley

Directions:
In a large stockpot, combine chicken, 12 cups water, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.  Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Remove chicken and carrots from broth and set aside.

Strain the remaining liquid and discard the solids.  Return the strained liquid to the pot, stir in the rice, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off the bones, discarding the bones and skin.  Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and thinly slice the carrots.

Return the chicken and carrots to the pot, and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Stir in parsley before serving.

** Linked to Miz Helen's Country Cottage's Full Plate Thursday and The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck.