Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Aromatic Ginger
Two kinds of rice give texture and flavor to this fragrant soup. Full of aromatic cold-fighters like ginger, garlic and cilantro, it makes a comforting dish to bring to a friend who is under the weather.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 3 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
- 2 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. Add the wild rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the sesame oil and vegetable oil. Add the yellow onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the broth, carrot, chicken pieces, white rice and the remaining 2 cups water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and dice or tear into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken into the soup along with the green onions, cilantro and cooked wild rice. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well, by Charity Ferreira (Oxmoor House, 2008).