Quick and Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

3/4 c chopped onion
1 Tb olive oil
1/4 c uncooked white rice
3/4 c diced celery
6 Cups chicken broth
6 oz cooked chicken breast (About 3/4 c, diced or shredded)
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (I used peas, carrots, corn, green beans, and cauliflower)
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

For garnish:

Chopped fresh parsley and green onions

You can use chopped fresh vegetables, but the cooking time will be a bit longer.

If you prefer brown rice, add 1/2 c cooked brown rice instead of the uncooked white rice.

For an extra pop of protein, use 1/2 c cooked quinoa instead of the rice.

Honestly...I can't figure out why the salt content is so high for this recipe! I used another calculator and it has the salt at about 400mg. Make sure the vegetables you use don't have added salt.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat and add onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes until soft, then add uncooked rice. Stir for another 3-4 minutes until the onion starts to turn golden. Don't skip this step! It adds a really nice flavor to the soup.

Add the celery and chicken, Italian herbs, rosemary, lemon zest, and pepper. Saute for a minute while stirring. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, taste to check the doneness of the rice, and for salt. Add the salt if needed, and add the frozen vegetables. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat for about 3 minutes until vegetables are done.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and green onion for a pop of freshness.

Serving Size: Makes 6 cups, three 2-cup main dish servings

Number of Servings: 3

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CHEMIST403.