Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, the original recipe
6 tbsps of butter
1 small onion, finely diced
4 or 5 stalks of celery, finely diced
1/3 cup of flour
4 cups of chicken broth
8 -9 carrots peeled and sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cups of half and half

Prepare rice according to box.  Brown chicken in soup pot. Remove chicken and set aside.

Melt the butter in same pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour and cook another 5 minutes, until the whole thing is dark yellowish. 

Whisk in chicken broth and keep whisking until all the lumps are gone. Stir in the carrot. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the carrot is tender, whisking pretty often.

Stir in the rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and almonds. Return to a simmer, and cook until heated through. Stir in half-and-half and bring to a boil.