In October, I’ll be host to witches, goblins and a ghost. I’ll serve them chicken soup on toast. Whoopee once, whoopee twice, whoopee chicken soup with rice. – Maurice Sendak

I love Maurice Sendak’s work. In honor of him and a gentleman in my office, when asked their favorite soup…….it is chicken soup with rice. I made a small pot of chicken rice soup for lunch yesterday. Along with several grilled cheese sandwiches.

The chicken stock I had made from scratch just two days earlier. Therefore, I had the stock and the chicken. Some of the chicken I have been using for Jen’s chicken salad. The rest went into this small batch of soup.

I say it was a small batch because it was just enough for the eight of us. It is funny how at first no one was interested in soup (except mike) or the grilled cheese sandwiches until it started cooking. By the time it was done, not one person turned down a bowl of soup but not everyone had a grilled cheese sandwich. Maryanne, one of my coworkers, suggested that I make her grilled cheese sandwich with mayonnaise. I did as she requested because as a personal chef we cater to our “clients” as she tried to convince me it was the best way to make it.  She shared her sandwich with Eric who thought it was good but still prefers butter over mayo, as do I.  So, however you like it, with butter or mayo everyone agreed (who ate them) that grill cheese goes well with chicken soup with rice on a cool day in the fall.

If you would like to try my soup recipe I have attached it below and if you like grilled cheese I have posted that too (click the link below)!

The Drunken Chef (Russ)

Chicken Soup with Rice (ala Insta-Pot)      

Serves 6 – 8

SPECIAL IMPLEMENTS

Insta-Pot

INGREDIENTS

8 Cups chicken stock

2 chicken breasts (from chicken stock) (cooked and cubed)

2 small carrots (diced)

2 celery stalks (diced)

2 teaspoons salt or chicken bouillon

1 bay leaf

Chopped fresh parsley

1 cup uncooked long-grain white or brown rice

1 head baby bok Choy (Diced) (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

Add all the ingredients into the Insta-pot. Set to the poultry setting for 0 minutes and make sure the keep warm button is lit. When the temperature and pressure hit there mark, the keep warm setting will start counting up. Wait for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes are up, let out any remaining steam. Stir and serve.

NOTES:

Use the Chicken Stock Recipe to make the stock.

You can also use boxed/canned stock; you can even cook the chicken in the canned stock if you do not have cooked chicken. I would use whole chicken breasts, on the bone for added flavor when using canned stock but you can use boneless breasts too. Serve with grill cheeses.  

The Drunken Chef (Russ)