Creamy Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

4 tablespoons butter

3 large carrots, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground celery seed

1 garlic clove, pressed or minced

3 packages (8 ounces each) each cream cheese (low-fat or nonfat work fine), softened

1 can (49.5-ounce) chicken broth

3 boxes (6 ounces each) boxes long-grain/wild rice blend (such as Uncle Ben’s), prepared according to package directions

1 pound cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Melt the butter in a large soup pot, add the carrots and onion, and sauté until the onion is softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the celery seed, garlic and cream cheese; stir constantly until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.

Slowly add the broth, stirring to incorporate the cream cheese; stir until all the broth is added and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Add the rice, chicken and mushrooms; simmer 20 minutes to blend the flavors. If the soup seems too thick, add milk or water as desired. Serve hot.

Serves eight to 10.

Cook’s notes: You can make the rice and cook the chicken one day ahead. Leftover turkey also works in this recipe.

Julie Dahlberg, Grayslake, in “Soup Night” by Maggie Stuckey (Storey, 2013)