Chicken, Bell Pepper, Mushroom Soup with Rice

Dice and prepare vegetables and chicken as instructed in the ingredients list.

Sauté onions in oil in the bottom of a large soup-pot, and add in the rice with the onions and olive oil, as though you’re making a risotto. Let the rice absorb some oil and heat up before adding in mushrooms and bell peppers to sauté. The moisture released from the cooking vegetables will start to absorb somewhat into the rice. (Meanwhile, also sauté the cubed chicken in a separate skillet until golden.)

Then, into the soup pot, pour in water and chicken-base, herbs, and sauteed chicken. Let simmer until rice is totally cooked through, adding more water if needed. Test broth occasionally for well-rounded flavors and saltiness. Add more chicken base and herbs if desired.

Stir in one spoonful of sour cream for each bowl before serving. The sour cream really takes everything up a notch, and in my humble opinion, is indispensable.