Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves

1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
2 cups Milk 
5-10 oz fresh Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

(There is an Instant Pot option below)

Melt butter or oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. 

Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add in the flour and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.

Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring the soup frequently as you pour so that the clumps of flour can melt into the broth. 

Add the mushrooms, wild rice, rosemary, bay leaves and stir to combine.

Let the soup continue cooking until it reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer, cover, and cook for 40-45 minutes or until the wild rice is tender — being sure to stir the soup every 5-7 minutes so that the bottom of the pot does not burn.

Stir in the chicken milk and baby spinach until combined.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. 

Taste and season the soup with however much salt and black pepper you think it needs.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Instant Pot Option: Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken stock, wild rice, rosemary and bay leaves to the bowl of your Instant Pot. Cover, seal and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release, followed by a quick release.

Meanwhile in a separate saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted. 

Whisk in the flour until combined and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. 

Then whisk in the milk until combined and continue heating until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add the mixture and shredded chicken to the soup. 

Stir in the baby spinach until combined. 

Remove and discard the bay leaves. 

Taste and season the soup with however much salt and black pepper you think it needs.

Serve warm and enjoy!