Vegetable Chicken Rice Soup

Cook Time: one hour, 30 minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: two hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried navy beans
two Tablespoons olive oil
one (4- to 4-1/2-pound chicken, cut in to serving pieces
one teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
one cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
one Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
two quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup seeded & chopped plum tomatoes
four sprigs fresh parsley
three bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 cup raw long-grain white rice
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green & white parts)
one Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
one cup torn spinach leaves

Preparation:

Put the beans in to a bowl & add water to cover by two inches. Soak for 8 hours, then drain. (For a speedy soak, bring the beans & water to a boil over high heat & cook for two minutes, then remove from heat & permit to stand for one hour. Drain.)

Heat the oil in a immense heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the chicken, seasoning with the salt & pepper & turning one time, until evenly brown, about ten minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pot.

Add the onions, carrots, & celery. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about three minutes. Add the garlic & stir until aromatic, about one minute. Stir in the zucchini & yellow squash & cook for one minute. Add the stock, drained beans, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaves, & cayenne. Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low & simmer, uncovered, until the beans are very tender, about one hour.

Using a long-handled slotted spoon or tongs, carefully transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. Cold slightly, then remove the meat from the bones, discarding the skin & bones.

Return the chicken meat & any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the rice, green onions, thyme, parsley, & spinach & simmer until the rice & beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Ladle in to warmed bowls & serve hot.

Yield: 12 servings