Chicken and Rice Soup

We were in the mood for soup tonight and this one is so easy. It's hearty and tasty too. You can add whatever kind of rice you like, just adjust the cooking time. Or if you prefer, this is great with pasta too, add in your favorite small pasta instead of the rice during the last 15 minutes of cooking. We had some awesome corn bread to mop up our soup, Mmmm, I'll share that recipe with you tomorrow! Enjoy.

Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 chicken breast tenders
olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 medium carrots, sliced on an angle
5 celery stalks, diced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme)
1 bay leaf
juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup black rice (or brown rice or small pasta)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large soup pot add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion, saute 2 minutes until translucent.  Add carrots and celery and saute 2 minutes longer.
2. Pour in broth and water and turn heat up to medium high.  Add chicken tenders, lemon juice, bay leaf and rice* (if you are using a quicker cooking rice such as jasmine or pasta, hold off and add it during the last 15-20 minutes.
3. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer, let simmer 35-45 minutes until black rice is cooked through.  Pull chicken tenders out and and cube then return to the soup.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove bay leaf and serve hot.