Cream of chicken and wild rice chowder

A cornstarch slurry thickens this soup without loads of cream. You can also thicken soup with leftover mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower.

Ingredients (Serves 8)

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped carrots
2 cups finely chopped celery
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces shredded cooked chicken breast
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions

Heat a large sauce pot to medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is heated, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the chicken stock, 2 cups water, wild rice, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and pepper to the pot. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 45 minutes. Stir in chicken, milk and half-and-half and cook for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. When the soup begins to boil, slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Remove soup from heat, and remove the bay leaf before serving.