Chicken Meatball Soup

This soup was kind of a happy accident.  It was getting close to dinner time and I just needed to throw something together with what I had on hand.  That was about a month ago and I've made it three times since. I think especially when I'm in a bind I'll usually throw together a soup.  This is for a few reasons.  One being that you can pretty much just gather everything you have on hand (be it a can of beans, leftover veggies, condiments [such as sriracha, peanut butter, or tamari], it's really fun to incorporate different ingredients you have laying around your kitchen.  Another being that it all cooks in one pot, so there are minimal dishes which is really probably my biggest motivator.  But lastly, it's a great way to make sure you're getting a good balance of veggies, meat, grains and whatever else you need in your diet. This soup in particular is a really comforting and hearty soup that's perfect for when you've had a long day, it's cold out, and you just want something soothing.  I think my favorite element of this soup is the fresh basil.  As you'll notice I have a tendency to want to put basil in pretty much everything.  In this soup I think it just adds a pop of freshness that chicken soup can really use.


C H I C K E N  M E A T B A L L  S O U P       R E C I P E

Ingredients
☂ 2 (13.3 oz.) packages of ground chicken, 95% lean
☂ 3 cups broccoli stems, chopped
☂ 2 cups carrots, chopped
☂ 1 medium red onion, chopped
☂ 6 garlic cloves, minced
☂ 12 cups of chicken broth (I use Better than Bouillon Organic Chicken Bouillon to make my chicken broth)
☂ 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
☂ 1 cup basil
☂ 1 Tbsp. olive oil
☂ 1 cup basil, finely chopped
☂ ½ tsp. salt
☂ black pepper to taste

Directions
☂ Place a soup pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, broccoli stems, carrots, red onion, and black pepper.  Saute until the onions begin to turn translucent.
☂ Turn the heat down to medium low and add the garlic.  Saute for 1-2 minutes.
☂ Add the chicken broth and turn the heat to high.  Let the soup boil until the vegetables have become tender.
☂ While the soup is cooking combine ground chicken, salt, and basil.  Form into 13-14 meatballs.
☂Once the vegetables in the soup have become tender (don't worry if it looks like the broth has boiled down a couple of inches in the pot, it's just becoming more flavorful), turn the heat down to medium-high heat and add in the meatballs and rice.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is done and the meatballs have cooked through.  
☂ Taste and adjust seasonings and if it is too salty add in a little water.  
☂ TIP [If you have leftover soup, the next day it will not have much broth because the rice will continue to absorb the liquid, so just add in a little chicken broth and water to bring the soup back to life.]
☂ WALAH!  Enjoy and start feeling nourished♥