Savory Leek and Wild Rice Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks - white parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base (such as Better Than Bouillon®)
• 8 cups hot water
• 1 cup wild rice (such as Lundberg Wild Blend®)
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• ¾ pound cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 3 large multi-colored carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or to taste

Directions

Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the leeks, onion, and garlic, and cook them until they’re soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, dissolve the chicken bouillon in hot water, then pour it into the pot with the veggies. Stir in the wild rice and poultry seasoning, cover the pot, and lower the heat to let everything simmer gently. Give it a stir every now and then as it cooks for about 45 minutes. Next, add the chicken, carrots, and bell pepper to the soup. Put the lid back on and keep it simmering until the vegetables are tender, which should take around 30 minutes. Once the veggies are soft, take the lid off and stir in the heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle some fresh thyme on top before serving.