Jalapeno Chicken & Rice Soup

Ingredients (serves 6-8 people)

• 1 diced yellow onion
• 1 diced red pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 carrots
• About 1.5 pounds of chicken (I used chicken breast)
• 1 1/2 cup rice (I used basmati)
• 2 tbsp diced jalapenos (or more for a spicier soup)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 qt chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cup water
• as much as desired salt & pepper (I added a lot)
• a sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• olive oil (to sautee vegetables & chicken)

Instructions

Heat up large pot on medium heat and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil across bottom

Cook chicken & sprinkle with salt and pepper

Chop all vegetables

When chicken is golden brown on both sides and cooked through, set aside.

Drizzle more olive oil if necessary and throw vegetables (besides spinach and jalapenos) into pot

Salt and pepper vegetables

Dice chicken while vegetables are cooking

When vegetables are done, set aside with chicken in a seperate bowl

In your now-empty pot, mix butter & flour together, carful not to burn it

Once roux is ready (golden, but not brown), slowly pour in about a cup of chicken broth and combine with the roux

Continue to slowly pour in chicken broth until everything is combined, careful to scrape the bottom & sides so none of it burns

Add cream & water

Pour rice in to cook, cover

After about 7-10 minutes when rice is no longer chewy, add vegetables, chicken, spinach & jalapenos into broth

Season with salt, pepper & cayenne. Cover & let simmer for desired amount of time.