Perfect Chicken Soup for all Ages

A bowl of Perfect Chicken Soup.

I have been exalting the cooler weather and the imminent arrival of Fall.  Unfortunately, cooler weather also brought our version of the plague to my house this week.  My son, Davis battled a nasty cold and since he likes to share (I know, what a sweet boy), my husband, Dan, has also acquired the beginning of a cold.  This left me feeling bad for my boys last night and wanting to make a warm, comforting meal for both of them.

A few years back, my mom shared with me a recipe for what I think is the perfect chicken soup.  If you are like me, you probably turn your nose up at the chicken soup sold in stores with the chicken that appears to be of questionable origins and is so salty that you probably fulfilled your daily sodium intake for a week after one bowl of soup.  I will fully admit that I am a bit of a chicken soup snob and so making the soup (almost) from scratch is my preference. 

This recipe could not be more simple and the outcome is delicious.  It's a great recipe for the weekend but also quick enough for preparation during the work week.  With a cup of brown rice, a cup of chopped carrots, one diced medium yellow onion, three to four stalks of celery chopped, low-sodium chicken broth, three chicken breasts and celery salt, you will have the most perfect chicken soup.

I pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees and baked the chicken breasts in a bit of olive oil for 30 minutes.  While the chicken cooked, I added my chopped vegetables to my soup pot and cooked them in a bit of butter to soften them up.  I then added chicken broth to the pot, chopped the cooked chicken into pieces and added it to the soup along with the brown rice.  I seasoned the soup with a bit of salt and pepper and added celery salt.  After about 45 mins to one hour, the soup was ready to eat.

Davis and Dan loved the soup and we went to bed with full tummies and feeling better, as only a homemade bowl of chicken soup can make one feel.

Perfect Chicken Soup

Ingredients
*2 containers chicken broth (I like Progresso's reduced-sodium chicken broth)
*1 cup chopped carrots
*3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
*1 medium yellow onion, chopped
*1 cup brown rice
*3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 teaspoon celery salt
*Salt and pepper to taste
*1 tablespoon butter

Details
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Place chicken breasts in a baking dish with a bit of olive oil in the bottom. Salt and pepper the chicken and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
*Melt one tablespoon butter in a soup pot (I like the Le Creuset dutch oven).  Add chopped carrots, celery and onion to the pot.  Cook until slightly softened.
*Remove chicken from oven and cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the vegetable mixture in the pot.
*Add one cup of brown rice to the chicken and vegetable mixture.
*Add chicken broth to the chicken and vegetables.  Add 1 teaspoon celery salt.  Salt and pepper to taste.
*Cook covered on medium heat for 45 minute to one hour or until vegetables are tender and rice is cooked.