Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup

The hubs is away on business a lot and lately he has been staying at a hotel that gives its priority club members bags of wild rice as a welcome gift. So, that means that we have wild rice stacking up in my cupboard and it needs to be used up! So, I decided to make up this soup, both to use up the rice and to have yet another healthy, hearty meal for the week!

Cream of Chicken and Rice Soup
(recipe found on pinterest via skinnyms.com)

1/2 cup dry black rice, (I used wild rice), rinse well
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large potato, cut into 1" pieces
1 stalk celery, diced
1 yellow or sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
salt to taste
2 fresh sprigs thyme, stems removed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast....about two breast, cut into 1" pieces
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tablespoons cornstarch

Add all ingredients, except milk and cornstarch, to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until chicken is cooked and carrots are tender. Before turning off the slow cooker, whisk together milk and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl, add to slow cooker and stir. Cover, and continue cooking until soup has thickened, about 10 minutes.