Turkey (or Chicken) and Wild Rice Soup - 2 Ways

Perfect slow cooker recipe, especially for the fall. The slow cooking of the bones and skin adds extra collagen, minerals, nutrients, and amino acids to make this a nourishing, immune boosting dinner.

Part 1: Making the base

1. Place two turkey wings (1 package) in slow cooker with 1 quart of turkey bone broth. Consider cutting off the wing tips to make sorting through the soup easier later. Can substitute with boneless chicken or turkey breasts, as well. Set in the slow cooker raw, uncut.
2. In a separate pan on the stove, saute the carrots, celery, onion and garlic until translucent, then add them to the slow cooker with the turkey.
3. Add wild rice to slow cooker, then add water until all ingredients are covered. Stir rice into water.
4. Add a heavy dash of salt to start. You can add more to taste after it's done cooking.
5. Set on low for 8 hours and walk away!
6. When the soup is finished, use tongs and a strainer to remove turkey wings and bones for discard. Pick any remaining meat off of the bones and add back to soup. Meat should be cooked through and rice should be soft. If substituting boneless cuts, shred and pull apart with a fork.
7. Pour finished soup into a pot for either serving as is or continuing to part 2 below to make a creamy soup.

Part 2: Make it creamy!

1. Set the soup in a pot onto the stove and add 1 cup of milk or heavy cream to the soup and cook on medium low.
2. While it cooks, make a roux by melting 4 Tbsp butter in a separate dish, then stirring flour into the butter until it becomes a near paste like consistency. Use gluten free flour if needed.
3. Slowly spoon and stir the roux into the soup until it thickens. Make sure you stir it in as you add it SLOWLY so it incorporates into the soup.
4. Once the soup thickens, salt to taste and you're ready to go! Serve with crackers and cheese and enjoy. :)

Always consume with caution when cooking with bones. Alternatively, you can make this recipe with boneless breasts or tenders if you want to avoid cuts with bones in them. Set in slow cooker raw at start, then shred after 8 hours of slow cooking.