Yield: 6 servings.
Meat from 1 roasted chicken, chopped (approximately 2 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup basmati rice
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes or just until the celery is tender and the onion is translucent.
Add the rice, mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Remove the thyme and discard.
Add the chopped chicken, and lemon juice to the pot. Season with pepper and additional salt as needed. As soup thickens, add water to desired consistency.
Stir in the parsley and cook for a couple more minutes before serving.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
