Chicken and Rice Soup with Ghee

A simple, one-pot soup that will blow you away. Thanks to the addition of ghee, this savory chicken and rice soup has a buttery, creamy mouthfeel. Plus, it's loaded with golden brown chicken and ALL the herbs. You simply CAN'T STOP eating it! 

I made this soup because Kyle came down with a wicked summer cold this week. Seems unfair, getting a cold in the SUMMER. Not cool at all. Anyway, the congestion and cough were super stubborn, despite all my home remedy attempts (honey, lemon, saline spray, herbal tea). So I decided to battle the bugger head on with HOMEMADE chicken soup, the ultimate cure-all for everything. And I added my secret weapon - ghee. 

So why add ghee? There are a gazillion health benefits to ghee (which is why it's been a culinary staple for thousands of years), but I'll stick to why I used it for Kyle's soup. 

1. Cooking-wise, ghee has a high smoke point, so I was able to cook the onions, garlic and chicken over a higher heat without worrying about free radicals getting into the soup (many other oils can break down into free radicals)! Keep those demons away! 
2. Ghee has no dairy  - it IS made from butter, but the milk solids and impurities have been removed, so there's no lactose or casein. I try to avoid dairy products when the boys are sick - whether there's science behind avoiding dairy or not. We've had some bad outcomes in the past; I won't go into the gross details. Anyway, my house--my rules! 
3. Ghee is rich in powerful antioxidants, like vitamins A, E, K, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an antioxidant with anti-viral properties (if it's sourced from grass fed cows). 
4. Kyle's in the beginning of cross country training and I wanted to make sure he kept his energy up. Ghee is rich in medium chain fatty acids, which are absorbed directly by the liver (like carbs) and burned as energy. Athletes can use ghee as a consistent energy source. 

So that's why there's ghee in this soup! Oh, one last thing - it adds the most wonderful butter flavor...

Why add Worcestershire sauce? You just need a little, but Worcestershire sauce adds something other ingredients simply can't. It's almost indescribable, but I'll try - it adds a salty, garlicky, vinegary, and subtle tanginess to all kinds of dishes and adding a small amount to this soup catapults the broth to the highest level. As you can see, there aren't a LOT of ingredients, so little tricks like adding Worcestershire sauce really work! 

I didn't add any vegetables to this soup - don't scorn me. I had peas. I had corn. I had broccoli and carrots. I even had 1/2 bell pepper. I just know that when you're sick, sometimes simple is better. I added all the dried herbs... but no veggies. SO, feel free to add any vegetables you want! If you want to add chopped carrots and bell peppers, cook them with the onion. Add frozen vegetables for the last minute of cooking, and keep them frozen until ready to use. 
For the record, Kyle and Luke LOVED this soup. And Kyle feels better already. 😉

Chicken and Rice Soup with Ghee

1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white rice of choice, such as long grain, jasmine or basmati
Fresh parsley leaves for serving

Heat the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft, stirring frequently. Add the chicken and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Add the oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 30 seconds, until the herbs are fragrant. 
Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parsley before serving. 

Serves 4