Lemony Chicken Rice Soup with Herb Gremolata Recipe

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large heavy Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the chicken cubes and cook over medium heat just until chicken is no longer pink. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the pan and sauté the celery and onions over medium heat until soft and translucent, but do not let them brown. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for another minute or two, until the mushrooms begin to give up their liquid.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring gently, for another two to three minutes, but do not let the mixture brown. Add the broth, and the rice, pasta and seasonings from the Rice-A-Roni^® package. Bring to a boil, stirring gently, and reduce heat to medium-low, simmering, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

While soup is simmering, combine the herbs, garlic,lemon zest and pepper in a small bowl, mixing until well-distributed.

When the rice is tender, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the half and half and the chicken. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring gently, just until soup is heated through, but do not boil. Stir in the lemon juice and heat for another minute or two, but do not allow soup to boil.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with about a teaspoon of gremolata in the center of each bowl.