For A Chilly Fall Day - Chicken-Wild Rice-Vegetable Soup

1½# skinless chicken breast

2T sunflower-coconut oil

1T butter

¾c Minnesota wild rice

1lg. yellow onion - chopped

5-6 lg. cloves garlic - minced

1½c chopped celery

1½c chopped carrots

⅔c dry white wine

6c fresh, cold water

1t-1T fresh ground pepper

2-3T powdered chicken soup base

Combine the first group of ingredients in a 5 quart pot, with about half of the wine.  Cover and bring to a simmer on low.  Uncover, increase the heat and saute' until the liquid evaporates, stirring to keep anything from sticking.  Once the onions are a little translucent, or just browning, add remainder of the wine, stirring to coat everything.  Add the water, pepper and soup base.  Stir, cover again, and cook on low heat.  Simmer an hour or longer until the rice is cooked.  Check the flavors to see what, if any, changes are needed.

I decided to stick with a traditional type chicken and rice soup, but I think this would also be good with one can each, of chili beans, and petite diced tomatoes, with or without the rice, for a nice chicken-chili sort of soup.  Mmmm, that sounds good too!  Maybe when this is down to half a pot, I'll add those! . . . Lin