Featured Festival Recipe: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 lb. plain Dad’s Chicken Breasts
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups low-fat milk
• 2 cups kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
2. Add in the chicken stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, chicken breasts, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine.
3. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Return shredded chicken to stockpot to continue simmering.
4. Prepare cream sauce in a separate saucepan on the stove. Cook 3 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened. It should be very thick.
5. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Combine onion, garlic, chicken stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, chicken, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of a pressure cooker. Stir briefly to combine.
2. Close lid, turn vent to “Sealing”, select the “Manual” setting on high pressure and set time to 25 minutes. Once the cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use the quick release method to release the remaining pressure. Open lid, remove bay leaf and discard. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Return shredded chicken to pressure cooker.
3. Meanwhile, during the final 10 minutes of pressure cooking, prepare cream sauce on the stove. Cook 3 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened. It should be very thick.
4. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Directions:

1. Combine onion, garlic, chicken stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, chicken, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in a large slow cooker. Stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker.
3. Meanwhile, during the final 10 minutes of pressure cooking, prepare cream sauce on the stove. Cook 3 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened. It should be very thick.
4. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.