Dinner for $4? {Chicken and Rice Soup}

Growing up, I had was close friends with a family who had six kids.  In high school, I went over there every week.  I loved it because the atmosphere was so different from my family's.  There was constant activity, people coming and going, and lots of conversations going on at one time.  I have a wonderful family, but even at a young age, the desire grew in me to have a house bustling with people and activity. 

 What does this have to do with chicken and rice soup?  That's a good question.  One thing I remember about their house is that she always had a big pot of something on the stove.  And as the kids came in and out of their house from their various activities, they could help themselves to some good, healthy food.  I've been trying to do more of this lately, especially in the bustle of baseball season, when we are out much of the evening.  On Monday, when I made this soup, the boys had a bowl before baseball, and a bowl when they got home from baseball.  Healthy, cheap, and satisfying.  My favorite kind of meal.

I make this when I go to Costco and buy a rotisserie chicken.

I pick the chicken, divide the chicken in half.  I freeze one portion for later, and use the other part in this soup.  Then put all the bones and skin and the other leftover yuck part of the chicken in a big pot of water along with some onion and celery (I use the parts of the onion and celery I wouldn't use like the leafs of the celery and the skin part of the onion since it's just for flavor).  Boil this on the stove for an hour or so.  Then drain the bones and such so you have yummy broth.

It looks like this while it boils.

Then cut about this much onion, celery, and carrots.

And saute it in a little butter until it looks like this.

I use basmati rice because it's what I always have on hand, but I suppose you could use minute rice too.  I used 2 cups and added it to the boiling, drained broth.  Keep boiling until rice is cooked, about 10 minutes.  Then add the veggies and diced chicken, and salt and pepper to taste.

This is what you get.  We ate this for lunch the next day too.  It really goes a long way.

All for about $4.  The math:

2.50 for the chicken (remember I only used half)

.50 for rice

1.00 for veggies

[As a side note, when it sits overnight, the rice expands so I added some extra water and a couple of cubes chicken bouillon the next day]

All my kids love soup, but it makes Asher especially happy.

Go ahead and try it on this lovely fall day!