Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a large pot, heat oil and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side to brown. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate.
3. Add onion, garlic and carrots and sauté for a few minutes
4. Add the rice, stir and cook for a minute to toast the grains. Add the chicken, chicken stock, and bay leaf.
5. Bring the to a boil, cover the pot and reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat.
6. Simmer the soup until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked
7. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf and chicken from the pot.
8. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into smaller pieces then add back to the soup.
9. The rice may absorb water as it sits, add more chicken stock if needed. Taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
10. Serve each bowl topped with chopped parsley.