Chicken Bacon Wild Rice Soup

• (10 3/4 oz) cans chicken broth↗3
• water↗2 cup
• uncooked wild rice, rinsed↗0.5 cup
• finely chopped green onions0.5 cup
• margarine or butter↗0.5 cup
• all-purpose flour↗0.75 cup
• salt↗0.5 teaspoon
• poultry seasoning0.25 teaspoon
• pepper↗0.125 teaspoon
• half and half↗2 cup
• cubed or shredded cooked chicken or turkey1.5 cup
• slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled↗8
• chopped pimiento1 tablespoon
• dry sherry, if desired↗2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth and water. Add wild rice and onions. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes (or until rice is tender). Once the rice is cooked, there will be some additional broth – do not drain.

2. 2

   In a medium saucepan, melt margarine, stir in flour, salt, seasoning, and pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly.

3. 3

   Gradually stir in half and half with the butter/flour mixture and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add this creamy mixture back into the saucepan with the rice/broth. Add remaining ingredients (chicken, bacon, pimiento, and sherry). Heat on low, stirring every once in a while, for at least a half an hour. Do not boil. The mixture will look thin, but the longer you heat the soup, the more the flavors marry and the more it will thicken. This soup is best served after gently heating for an extended period of time (even a few hours) or the next day! For extra flavor, add more poultry seasoning and/or bacon.