By Bryan Cunningham

Bryan Cunningham has been a chef for 20 years. He loves learning new skills in the kitchen and experimenting with different ingredients. When he’s not in the kitchen, he is watching shows featuring his favorite chefs or spending time with his wife and three children. He is proud of living in his native town of Albert Lea and is working on building his new catering business, Yankee Catering.

Fall is here, and with it comes shorter days, colder temperatures and more chances to stay inside and cook up some delicious comfort food.  Some of the best comfort food for these chilly days is soup, and Chicken Wild Rice is one of my favorites. Enjoyed with some saltine crackers, bread and butter, or all on its own, it’s a great meal for this time of year.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 3 cups milk
• 5 cups chicken stock (broth)
• 1 pound butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté onions, celery, carrots and 1/2 pound of butter until tender. Add chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Then add chicken and wild rice. Make a roux with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 pound of butter. Use this to thicken your soup to your liking. Add seasonings. Serves 4 to 6.