Minnesota Day and Wild Rice Chicken Soup

Welcome to National Minnesota Day! Remember yesterday, when we had that awesome roast chicken supper? In our house, unless we’re having people over, a roast chicken is the key to more than one good meal.

Sometimes I’ll chop the leftover meat and make a simple Chicken Salad for sandwiches later in the week. Or add as strips of chicken to a chef salad. Or better still, to use a roasted breast to create a delicious bowl of soup.

When researching dishes that are popular in Minnesota, soups kept popping up. Minnesota is cold in the winter, so soups would naturally hit the spot. There is something comforting about having soup as a supper. It makes me want to build a fire in the fireplace, curl up on the sofa and watch some romantic, sappy Hallmark movie. I know, most Hallmark Movies are actually filmed in Canada, but you get the idea.

It’s no wonder that piping hot bowls of soup are so popular way up north in Minnesota. Enjoy!

Minnesota Wild Rice Chicken Soup
2 Leeks
2 Celery Ribs
10 oz White Button Mushrooms
1 tablespoon Butter
7 cups Chicken Stock, divided
1 cup Wild Rice
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 cup Flour
1 large Chicken Breast, cooked
1 cup Half-and-Half
3 tablespoons White Wine
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 loaf Warm Bread, optional
Butter for Bread

Remove roots, outer leaves, and tops from leeks. Cut leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, and cut each half into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside. Finely chop celery, set aside. Clean and slice mushrooms, set aside.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, and mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in 6 cups stock. Add rice, salt, thyme leaves plucked from sprigs and black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 to 55 minutes or until rice has “popped” and is tender.

While the rice cooks, cut chicken into bite-size pieces, set aside. (You can use rotisserie chicken from the deli or a breast left over from Sunday’s supper).

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife without packing down. Combine flour and 1 cup stock in a bowl, whisking until smooth. Add stock mixture to soup. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; add chicken, half-and-half, wine, and mustard. Cook 2 minutes or just until thoroughly heated (do not boil).

Ladle soup into bowls, served with warm buttered bread if desired.