Chicken, Mushroom, and Rice Soup

Place chicken, carrot, celery, onion, and bay leaf in a stockpot. Add 4 quarts of cold water, or enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer gently until the meat can be easily pulled off the bones and is no longer pink in the center, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the meat and bones to a bowl and allow to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Leave the stockpot over low heat. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and break it up into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Transfer the bones and skin back to the stockpot and continue to simmer on low until needed.

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add mushrooms and salt; saute until mushrooms are well browned. Add garlic and diced onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain in 4 cups of the chicken broth from the stockpot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed; remove thyme stems. Stir in the chicken meat and a few more cups of the chicken broth to achieve the desired texture. The soup will continue to thicken as the rice swells, so more may be needed if you want a thinner soup.

Let simmer until chicken is heated through and has absorbed the flavors, and rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Taste one last time for seasoning. Adjust with more broth as needed. Serve immediately.