Happy once, Happy Twice, Happy Chicken Soup with Rice.

It is COLD here. 

The high today was 20 degrees.

It was -3 when I took Hoot to preschool this morning.

And I have two little girls with runny noses and the sniffles.

After we picked up Hoot, the girls and I made an executive decision to go home, do puzzles, take a nap, play Christmas play dough and have something cozy for dinner.

 (Yes, my kid was wearing jammies all day.  Judge away. LOL)

 

We came to the conclusion that between the frigid weather and the sniffles that chicken soup was in order.

Chicken Soup with Rice, to be exact. 

Do you remember that book? Whether you do or you don't click HERE.  We have been singing this song all afternoon.  It's a catchy little tune. :-)

Did you click it?  Did it remind you that it is your snowman's anniversary?

Don't worry, you don't need that cake.

Because I am going to tell you my recipe for kid-friendly Chicken Soup with Rice.  It doesn't have many ingredients or interesting things because it is one that I really want my girls to eat.   The Bug LOVES soup.  She is a soup eating fool.  Hoots like her soup basic - chicken, carrots, broth.  She is my picky sister and I just want something that will feed my sniffly little girl - so it's nothing fancy.  Just good, simple food.  And it is healthy too! :-)

So here you go.

 

Allison's (cookin' once, cookin' twice, cookin') Chicken Soup with Rice

You will need:

• Some olive oil
• 1 big bag of carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 big white onion, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• Fresh or dried sage, rosemary, thyme to taste (I just dump a little handful/pinch of each in. I know - annoying in a recipe, but it will be fine.)
• 1/4 c. flour
• A sprinkle of salt
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 quarts of chicken stock
• 1.5 cups of brown rice
• A little bit of water
• 1 pound of fresh green beans, snapped into 1 inch pieces

Start with some olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions. Add herbs and garlic. Sprinkle with salt.  Sweat the veggies until translucent. Sprinkle in the flour and cook until golden brown. Add the chicken stock, stir, and crank up the heat.  Toss in the chicken - you don't have to cut it or anything.  Just dump it in whole.  When it gets to boiling, turn it down on medium-low.  Let it simmer for a couple of hours, until the chicken is falling apart, sort of shredding itself. Easy peezy.  1 hour before serving, add the rice.  Let the soup cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is done.  This is where you might need to add some water - the rice soaks the soupy part up, so the water will make more broth. Add a cup or two - as many as you need to make it soup again. If it is thin enough for you, skip the water. 10 minutes before serving, add the green beans.  Cook on low until the beans are tender crisp.

And there you go. 

Whoopy once, whoopy twice, whoopy chicken soup with rice!!


Both of my girls chowed down on this soup - and so did their Daddy and Gramma and Papa and I.  Hopefully it makes their colds feel better.  And hopefully you get cozy and make some, too - if you do, leave me a comment below and tell me what you think. :-)