Hearty and Heart Healthy

Yesterday was a dismal dreary day with lots of rain and a freezing cold house with a heater on the fritz. It made for perfect timing to try out this new soup recipe I've been meaning to get to for a couple of weeks now. I got everything started around 4:30 so by the time Don walked in the house around 5:00 he got hit with all of the awesome aromas of the smoky bacon, caramelized onions, roasted chicken, and reduced port broth. Served along side some garlicky lemon steamed broccoli spears and the fresh banana bread I baked that day, this meal really hit the spot. Healthy though it is, do not be fooled. The wild rice in this recipe makes it more filling than you can possibly imagine. And it was a very nice and subtle change to have a chicken soup recipe with a red wine base for once. This is definitely going in the folder of make again recipes. I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch today. Additionally, I have enough leftover meat from the roast chicken I bought for this that I can use it to make my barbecue chicken pizza recipe again tonight. Hooray for double duty meals!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup




6 cups water
2 cups uncooked wild rice
3 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped (about 3 ounces)
5 cups thinly sliced red onion (about 1 large)
1/4 cup port or other sweet red wine
6 cups Brown Chicken Stock
3 cups shredded roasted chicken breast (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and stir in wild rice. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 35 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain and set aside.

Place bacon in an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Cook 10 minutes or until bacon begins to crisp, stirring frequently. Add onion; increase heat to medium-high. Cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add port, and simmer 8 minutes or until port evaporates. Add stock; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in rice, chicken, and remaining ingredients, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

CALORIES 345 (24% from fat); FAT 9.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 27.5g; CHOLESTEROL 63mg; CALCIUM 36mg; SODIUM 283mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003