Pumpkin Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless and cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 1 cup red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 14 oz canned pure pumpkin (not pie filling (1/2 of a large can))
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 cup long grain rice (white or brown)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil (chopped or 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Additional salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• Fresh parsley and/or additional fresh chopped basil (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring for a few minutes. Add the diced onion and red pepper and continue cooking until the onions have softened and the chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds.

2. 2

   Add the chicken broth, pumpkin, corn, rice and basil. Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup for 20-30 minutes, to cook the rice, thicken the soup and develop the flavours. Taste the soup. Ensure that the rice is cooked. Add additional salt, as needed (*if the soup tastes flat, it needs more salt!) and stir in some additional black pepper and/or fresh basil, if desired.

3. 3

   Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.