Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

I have been intending to start posting my successful recipes on here, with links to the inspiration recipes. No matter my intention to follow a recipe to the letter, it almost never happens, and inevitably I forget what I did. I would like to post pictures, but I am no food photographer and I'm worried it would look unappetizing :) I will have to play with it.

Last night I made Wild Rice Soup in the crockpot, inspired by Beyer Beware Hunk of Meat Monday


My Version:

1 cup diced or shredded carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 chopped shallot
1 package Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice
1 pound chicken cutlets
1/2 can cream of chicken condensed soup
2 chicken bouillon cubes*
4-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups (1 pint) half and half*
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the veggies, garlic, chicken, rice and seasoning packet, bouillon, and water in the crock pot.
2. Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, break/cut up the chicken while cooking.
3. Towards the end of the cook time, make a roux. Melt butter, stir in flour, and slowly add half and half and whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir half and half mixture into crock pot and continue cooking another 15 minutes.

*notes:
You can use milk instead of half and half.
You can substitute the bouillon cubes and water with chicken stock.