• Note: The rice is cooked separately in this recipe to ensure that it doesn’t soak up too much broth in the soup. This allows leftover soup and rice to be stored separately as well, as the rice continues to soak up broth during storage. This soup freezes very well, the rice can also be frozen in a separate storage container.
• Pro Tip: Measure out the ingredients ahead of time. The rest of the recipe will fly by!
• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Soften for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the seasonings, soy sauce, hot sauce, chicken, and chicken broth.
• Bring the soup to a very gentle bubble and cover partially. Allow the chicken to slowly cook through (a boil will make it tough)- about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken and use two forks to shred. (Discard the bones.) Return it to the soup. While the chicken simmers, cook the rice in a separate pot.

Cook the Rice

• Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it in the liquid. Bring back to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce to a simmer, cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off. Let the rice sit in the pot, covered, for 10 full minutes. Any rice stuck to the bottom will release during this time. This will yield 2 ¼ cups of flavorful rice. Note: Other varieties of rice can be used and will require different amounts of liquid and simmering time. (Refer to package for instructions.)
• Taste the soup and season with salt if desired.
• Spoon the rice into serving bowls and ladle soup on top. If you don’t anticipate leftovers, you can add the rice right to the soup pot. Garnish with parsley and serve!