Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

 Ingredients:

– **2 tablespoons butter**
– **1 onion, finely chopped**
– **2 carrots, sliced**
– **2 celery stalks, chopped**
– **8 ounces mushrooms, sliced**
– **2 cloves garlic, minced**
– **1/3 cup all-purpose flour**
– **6 cups chicken broth**
– **1 cup wild rice, uncooked**
– **2 cups cooked chicken, shredded**
– **1 cup heavy cream**
– **1 teaspoon dried thyme**
– **1 bay leaf**
– **Salt and pepper to taste**
– **Chopped fresh parsley for garnish**

 Instructions:

1. **Cook the Vegetables:**
– In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
– Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
– Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

2. **Make the Roux:**
– Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat.
– Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour is lightly browned.

3. **Add Broth and Rice:**
– Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
– Add the wild rice, dried thyme, and bay leaf.

4. **Simmer:**
– Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
– Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the rice is tender.

5. **Add Chicken and Cream:**
– Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and heavy cream.
– Season with salt and pepper to taste.
– Simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the soup is heated through.

6. **Serve:**
– Remove the bay leaf.
– Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

#### Tips:
– **For added flavor,** you can use a mix of chicken broth and vegetable broth.
– **To save time,** you can use a rotisserie chicken for the shredded chicken.
– **For a dairy-free option,** substitute the heavy cream with coconut milk or a non-dairy cream alternative.

Enjoy your creamy chicken and wild rice soup!