Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

The measurements here are merely suggestions.  When I am making this soup I rarely use a measuring cup.  Also, this recipe makes a whole lot of soup.  If you follow these proportions be prepared for leftovers.  BTW, this soup does freeze well, and it does re-heat well.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1. 1 cup dry wild rice
2. 4 cups H2O
3. several dashes of salt
4. 14 oz boneless, skinless, raw chicken breasts
5. 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
6. several dashes of garlic salt
7. a few dashes of ground cayenne pepper
8. about 2 more cups H2O 
9. 1 1/2 cup carrots - pealed and diced
10. 1 1/2 cup button mushrooms - washed and diced
11. 1 1/2 cup celery - washed and diced
12. 4 cloves garlic - minced
13. 1 1/2 cup green onions - chopped
14. 1 cup slivered almonds - toasted
15. 10 cups chicken broth
16. 1 tsp dried thyme
17. 1 Tbsp dried parsley
18. 1 tsp ground black pepper
19. 1 pint heavy cream
20. 1 pint 2% milk
21. 4 oz neufchatel cheese
22. 1/3 cup corn starch - mixed with about 1/4 cup H2O
23. salt to taste
24. 1/4 cup dry sherry

Directions

• Prepare the wild rice by combining ingredients 1, 2, and 3 in a medium pot and bringing to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Ingredients 4-8 are for the preparation of the chicken.  Cook chicken by heating the sunflower oil in a large skillet, then frying the chicken breasts for about 10 minutes.  Turn the chicken breasts often, and season each side with garlic salt and cayenne pepper.  After the chicken breasts turn golden brown on each side add 2 cups of H2O to the skillet, bring the water to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the skillet and let the chicken simmer for another 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink in the center.  Turn the chicken occasionally while it is simmering.  Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside to cool.
• While the chicken is cooking wash, chop, dice, or mince ingredients 9 through 13.  Saute ingredients 9 through 12, starting with the carrots, then adding the mushrooms after a couple minutes, the celery after a few more minutes, and finally putting in the minced garlic for the last couple of minutes.
• Turn the oven on to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, spread the slivered almonds across the bottom of a metal pie pan, and toast the almonds in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Check them frequently so that they do not burn.
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil, adding the thyme, parsley and black pepper, as well as ingredients 9 through 12.  Save the green onions for later.
• Dice and/or shred the chicken.  Add it to the soup.
• Add the cooked rice, slivered almonds, and the green onions to the soup.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add ingredients 19 through 22.  Cook and stir until the neufchatel cheese has melted and the soup thickens.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add the dry sherry, heat through, and serve.
• This soup goes especially well with a crusty bread (which can be conveniently heated up in the oven you warmed up to toast the almonds).