Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

2-3 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 cups low-sodium (< 150 mg/serving) chicken broth
2 cups water
1 4.5-to-6 oz package of quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet (I used Uncle Ben's™ Long Grain and Wild Rice "Fast Cook Recipe")
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp butter
2 cups of dairy, cook's preference between milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (the higher the fat content, the thicker/creamier the final product will be)

Directions:

Cook the chicken by any method you prefer (microwave, broiler, frying, etc.). Ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked (juices run clear and no pink remains in the middle). Shred chicken using a fork and knife, two forks pulling away from each other, or your (very clean!) bare hands.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. When drops of water sizzle upon contact, add olive oil and onion to saucepan. Saute the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add carrot and celery. Saute another 3-4 minutes.
Heat a large pot (5 quarts at the bare minimum) over medium heat. Add onion/celery/carrot mix, chicken broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Heat saucepan used for the vegetable mix over medium heat. Add butter and wait for it to melt, stirring occasionally to ensure butter doesn't burn. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons to form a roux (fancy cooking term for a thickening agent made from a combination of fat and flour). Stir continuously until the mixture emits a faint smoky or nutty smell. Whisk in diary, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
Pour cream mixture from saucepan into pot with chicken and rice. Stir to ensure everything mixes well. Cook 10-15 minutes uncovered over medium heat until heated through.