Cheesy Chicken Vegetable Soup

I'm not a soup person, but every once in a while I get the urge to make a big pot of soup - something about that pot bubbling away all afternoon is very satisfying! My favorite soup is Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar soup served in a sourdough bread bowl. I don't think there's anything at all healthy about that particular soup, but it's so yummy!

I decided to try and make a slightly healthier version here at home, and it turned out great! Here's the scoop:



Cheesy Chicken Vegetable Soup

3 cartons chicken broth (I know - it seems like a lot, but it works!)
1 cup brown rice
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (don't need to be thawed)
onion powder
oregano
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced, shredded or diced
1 large zucchini, diced
20 oz. Velveeta, diced

In a large soup pot, combine brown rice and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover & simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.

When rice is tender, add the rest of the chicken broth and the 2 chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, and cook for 40 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove chicken & let cool on a cutting board, then dice. Sprinkle diced chicken with onion powder & oregano, then return to soup pot.

Stir in broccoli, carrots, and zucchini, and bring mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are desired tenderness, 10-15 minutes. Add diced Velveeta and stir until melted.

Makes a BIG pot of soup, so be prepared to put some in the freezer!