Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Bacon Wild Rice bathed in a rich creamy soup made with milk, heavy cream and sour cream.  Oh then top that off with Almonds.  This is not your ordinary bowl of soup.  It’s an extraordinary bowl of soup.  There may not be a more welcoming and warming soup than one starring chicken, bacon, wild rice, and almonds. Bold, woodsy flavors make it ideal for wintery nights. 

Ingredients

SIMMER: 

3⁄4 cup dry wild rice, rinsed 2 1⁄2 cups water 

COOK: 

2 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced 1⁄2 cup diced onion
1⁄4 cup diced carrot 

1⁄4 cup diced celery 

STIR IN: 

1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme 

ADD: 

1⁄2 cup whole milk
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup sour cream
Salt and black pepper to taste Sliced scallions
Toasted slivered almonds 

Instructions 

Simmer rice in water in a saucepan, covered, over medium heat until grains are tender and start to split open, about 45 minutes. Remove rice from heat and drain any excess liquid. 

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp; reserve drippings. Drain bacon on a paper- towel-lined plate. 

Add mushrooms to drippings; sauté over medium- high heat until soft, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrot, and celery. Cover pot and sweat vegetables until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium. 

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Deglaze pot with sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in broth, wild rice, chicken, and thyme. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. 

Add milk, cream, sour cream, and bacon; season with salt and pepper. Gently simmer soup, without allowing it to boil, until heated through, 1 minute. 

Garnish each serving with scallions and toasted almonds.