Allergy season is upon us yet again, and for some people, allergies can be like having a three-month-long cold. Stuffed up noses will appreciate the clearing their sinuses with a piping hot bowl of hearty chicken soup loaded with rice, veggies and one unusual suspect: beer. The flavorful broth in this grown-up style soup is loaded with Deschutes Brewery Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale (it’s strictly medicinal). The mildly hoppy and citrus flavors found in this brew add a fresh kick to this flavorful, chicken-based broth. You can whip out a batch of this soup in no time at all and not have to worry about cooking again for a couple days, as this recipe yields enough for leftovers, and then some.
Grown-up Chicken Soup with Rice
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ribs celery, halved lengthwise and diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 cup Deschutes Brewery Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large stock pot, heat up olive oil and add onions, carrots, celery, pepper and thyme. Sauté for about five minutes, then add garlic. Continue sautéing all ingredients until soft and tender.
Add chicken broth and beer. Bring contents of pot to a boil. Once boiling, and add shredded chicken and rice. Stir well, then reduce heat to low and simmer and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, or until rice is tender. You can add other fresh herbs and salt and pepper as desired.
Serve this soup alongside fresh baked rolls, a spring salad loaded with fresh herbs from the garden, or your favorite sandwich.
