Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Chicken and Rice Stoup (Rachel Ray)

Another recipe from 365: No Repeats by Rachel Ray, copyright 2005. Again, I reduced the oil/butter in this recipe. It's actually a variation of the Spring Chicken with Leeks and Peas I posted a little while ago.

This is really good and very easy. You can probably use plain old onion instead of the leeks but leeks have a nice flavor all their own so try it with if you can.

Chicken and Rice Stoup
Serves 4, with seconds

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil or combination of olive oil and safe margarine {I used all olive oil}
1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breast tenders {I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts} cut into large bite-size pieces, about 2 inches
2 medium leeks, trimmed of tough tops and roots
1 bay leaf
1 cup shredded carrots, available in the produce section, or 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (from 5-6 sprigs), chopped {See "Note on thyme" below for how I did this}
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1-1/2 cups white rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped {I omitted}

Heat a large deep-sided skillet or a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan and saute until lightly golden on both sides, 4 minutes. {I cooked a little longer.}

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2-inch half-moons. Place the leeks in a colander and wash under cold running water, separating the layers and releasing all the grit. You can also place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swish them around like a washing machine. The grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Drain the leeks well and add them to the chicken.

Cook the leeks, bay leaf, carrots, celery, and thyme with the chicken until the leeks wilt down, 3 minutes or so. {I cooked a little longer.} Add all 6 cups of stock and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the 1-1/2 cups of rice and cook until the rice is just tender, 15-18 minutes. Stir in the parsely, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve.

Leftovers will get really thick, and the rice will bloat. Add a combination of broth and water to reheat the stoup. {I didn't really find this - I did add a little broth when I reheated, but my rice didn't really bloat.}

Note on thyme: I tried taking those little teeny-tiny leaves off the sprig of thyme, but it just wasn't working. So I used another RR trick and threw the whole sprigs into the stoup. By the time the stoup is cooked all the little leaves have fallen off the twigs and they're so small they don't need to be chopped. You just have to be careful to pick the bare stems out - they're really obvious - or at least warn the people eating the stoup that they may encounter debris in their bowls.

Alternatively - although with much less excitement at the dinner table - you can use dried thyme leaves. A teaspoon of dried would be about right.

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