Creamy chicken rice soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 300 g Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 3 clove Garlic, minced
• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalk Celery, diced
• 0.5 tsp Dried Thyme
• 0.75 cup Sunwhite Medium Grain Rice, uncooked
• 0.25 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 4 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 0.5 cup Half And Half, Equal parts of milk and cream
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley Leaves, chopped
• 1 sprig Rosemary

Method

1. Heat up aromatic olive oil in a generously-sized stockpot on medium heat. Season succulent chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper and give them a quick sizzle until they're perfectly golden, around 2-3 minutes. Set them aside and keep them warm
2. Time to get saucy! Melt a luscious pat of butter and add in a colorful and flavorful medley of garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook them to tender perfection, stirring occasionally, for around 3-4 minutes. Add a sprinkle of fragrant thyme and cook for another minute.
3. Whisk in flour until it turns a tantalizing light brown hue. Pour in chicken stock, add a bay leaf, and toss in the seared chicken thighs. Keep whisking until the broth slightly thickens, around 4-5 minutes.
4. Add in some fluffy rice and give it a good stir.
5. Time to get creamy! Add in a dash of half and half and heat it through for around 1-2 minutes. Season it with some salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
6. It's time to feast like royalty! Serve the soup immediately, garnished with a burst of fresh parsley and rosemary.