Wild Rice and Thyme Soup

Cold weather puts everyone in the mood for a nice, hearty soup. This one is sure to keep you warm and satisfied! Essential oils add subtle seasoning and health benefits.

Wild Rice and Thyme Soup

Servings: 6 | Time: 15 minutes active; 45 minutes inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken breast, raw*
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 5 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. uncooked wild rice
• 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 c. chicken broth* or chicken bone broth*
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• Thyme essential oil
• Rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken breast, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice, mushrooms, broth, and salt in your Instant Pot.** Seal the lid and set the controls to 45 minutes on manual, high pressure.
2. When the time is up, slowly release the pressure, making sure that soup doesn’t start spraying through the valve.
3. While the pressure is releasing, melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove.
4. Whisk the flour in with the butter, and cook on low heat for 1–2 minutes.
5. Slowly whisk the milk into the saucepan, stirring until the mixture begins to thicken and forms a thick, creamy white sauce.
6. Dip a toothpick into a bottle of thyme essential oil and another toothpick into rosemary essential oil. Stir the oils throughout the white sauce with the toothpicks.
7. Pull the chicken breast out of the Instant Pot, shred it, and return the pieces to the soup.
8. Stir the white sauce into the Instant Pot mixture, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the warm soup with fresh bread for wintertime comfort.

*For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken breast and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

**If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also cook this soup in a slow cooker for 6–7 hours on low, following the same instructions.