Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

WOW!! I got this recipe from Lazy Houswife's Blog....This soup was probably one of the best I have made myself so far...the hubby loved it too! This recipe makes a TON, so I suggest halving the recipe if you don't want to eat it for 3 days in a row! I also added lemon juice to this recipe, because I found that it ended up a little bland and then I just added more pepper/salt & lemon juice. We paired we grilled cheese panini's (Sourdough Bread, Cheddar & Swiss Cheeses).

Serves 8

Ingredients

~3 chicken breasts
~Olive oil (I used evoo, extra virgin)

~Butter (this is for the chicken & veggies it is not included in the cup you use for the Roux)
~1 1/2 cups chopped celery1 1/2 cups chopped onion
~1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
~2 cloves of garlic, minced

~1 cup uncooked brown rice (I used Basmati)

~3 1/4 cups chicken broth

~1/4 cup sherry

~1/4 cup lemon juice

~1 cup butter (2 sticks, I used Margarine)

~1/2 cup all-purpose flour

~4 cups milk, divided (I used all of the milk because it ended up thick, pouring in a 1/2 c. at a time)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Melt approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter each in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts until done, turning once, about 5 minutes each side. Set aside and let cool.

2. Add additional butter and olive oil to the pan. Add celery, onions, carrots, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned bits.

3. In a stockpot over high heat, add vegetable mixture, chicken broth, and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes (I simmered for appox. 22 minutes), or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly add the flour, stirring often, to make a roux. Add 4 cups of milk, 1/2 cup at a time, while constantly stirring. Add this and the chicken to the rice mixture and return the rice mixture to the stovetop over low heat. (**I added the Sherry & Lemon Juice here, you might want to add a little at a time & taste test first) (If the soup seems too thick, add some or all of the remaining 2 cups of milk.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer for at least an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.