Chicken Soup

This past weekend, all three of my boys were sick.  By Sunday, being quite sick of all the sickness myself and ready for a little break, I headed to Costco to pick up an easy dinner of roasted chicken, bagged Caesar salad, and some green beans.  Last night, finally being back in the mood to cook after the little break, I made a chicken and rice soup with the leftover chicken.  It was yummy and hearty and even the little guys liked it (also the big guy) and used pantry staples and leftovers from the fridge.  I had leftover rice from this weekend also so I threw that in as well and it bulked it up quite a bit.  

Chicken and Rice Soup by Joie de vivre

1/2 cooked chicken with pieces of meat cut into fairly hearty chunks (about 4-5 cups chicken)

A large handful of green beans cut into soup sized pieces

1/2 onion cut into large pieces to allow onion haters to pick pieces out

2 carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into soup sized pieces

4 stalks of celery, cut in half lengthwise and cut into soup sized pieces

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz. can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cooked, cold rice

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 vegetable boullion

6-8 cups boiling water

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring until softened but not browned.  Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.  In the meantime, pour a little of the boiling water over the boullion to dissolve it.  Add to the soup pot along with the rest of the boiling water.  Add the chicken pieces, beans and the rice.  Add salt and pepper sparingly to taste as boullion is salty.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  If desired, you may skim off the olive oil that floats to the surface.  Ladle into soup bowls and serve to your sickies.