Soups Up!

I'm always on the quest for yummy go to soups. They are so comforting during cold, rainy days, which seem to be the norm lately. My latest attempt was Chicken and Brown Rice from Women's Health. The original recipe calls for chopped chicken, but I like shredded chicken a million times better...it could be that chopped chicken reminds me of processed, bland chicken noodle soup. Blah! I've also opted for seasoned diced tomatoes to give the soup a little extra boost of flavor. Next time, I might even add in a little extra heat with some diced jalapenos/chili peppers. Finally, since Mr. Diva isn't a huge fan of whole grains, I substituted white rice for the brown. After all the tweaking, this soup was delicious and will definitely be made again. It's a great way to use up extra veggies, stock and chicken.

1 ½ t olive oil

1-2 c cooked chicken breast, shredded

2 large carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 small onion, diced

2/3 c rice

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil & oregano

1 small can diced chili peppers/jalapenos (possibly try)

5-6 c chicken stock

Heat oil over medium heat in a stock pot. Saute about 3 minutes, then stir in rice. Cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce hit to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.