Turkey (or Chicken) and Brown Rice Soup -- Jake's First Real Soup Night

Fall arrived. Just like that. Monday was eighty degrees and by Friday it was fifty-five with a wind off the lake that cut right through you. Wisconsin doesn't do gradual transitions. It's summer, then it's not. The Oktoberfest lager launched this week and it's a hit. We tapped the first keg on Wednesday night and the taproom was packed — people lined up for the seasonal. I stood behind the bar for an hour helping pour because they needed extra hands, and I got to watch people's faces when they took the first sip. "Oh, that's good." "Wow." "This is your best one yet." Every compliment felt personal because it was personal — my malt bill, my ratios, my contribution. Marcus clapped me on the shoulder at the end of the night and said, "Good beer, Jake." Three words. Best review I've ever gotten. I celebrated by going home and trying to make soup. A real soup. Not from a can. I found a recipe for chicken noodle soup and figured, how hard can it be? The answer is: not that hard, actually. You sauté onions, celery, and carrots (they call this mirepoix, which sounds French and fancy but it's just chopping vegetables). You add chicken broth. You add chicken. You add noodles. You season it. Done. Mine wasn't as good as Babcia's rosół — her chicken soup has a depth of flavor that comes from simmering a whole chicken for hours with root vegetables and dill. But mine was warm and comforting and tasted like soup and I ate two bowls and was proud. The first bowl was proud. The second bowl was hungry. Hockey season is ramping up — we have games every Thursday and some Sundays now. I'm playing the best hockey of my life, which isn't saying much because my life's hockey peak was mediocre at best, but I'm hitting hard, moving well, and the team is gelling. Playoffs start in November. Sunday at Babcia's: the seasonal shift was immediate in her kitchen too. Gone were the cold soups and summer salads. She made żurek — sour rye soup with sausage and hard-boiled eggs. It's a fall/winter dish, tangy and warm, and it signals the change of season as clearly as the leaves turning. Babcia's kitchen is a calendar. You always know what month it is by what she's cooking.

Between the hockey grind and the seasonal shift I was feeling in Babcia’s kitchen, I wanted something that felt like fall but was actually mine — not her żurek, not her rosół, but my own bowl of something warm and honest. Turkey and brown rice soup felt right: hearty enough for a guy who’s been hitting hard on the ice, simple enough that I could be proud of it without pretending to be something I’m not. Here’s how I made it.

Turkey (or Chicken) and Brown Rice Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or turkey breast), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3/4 cup long-grain brown rice, uncooked
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Fresh dill or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Build the mirepoix. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened slightly.
2. Add garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
4. Add chicken and rice. Add the chicken pieces and brown rice. Stir in thyme, parsley, and black pepper. Reduce heat to a steady simmer.
5. Simmer until done. Cook uncovered for 35–40 minutes, until the brown rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Skim any foam from the surface as needed.
6. Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh dill or parsley if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 240 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 420mg