Get a jump start by making this soup up to three days ahead and chilling. You can even cook the rice, chicken, and vegetables the day before making the soup.

Prep/cook: 1 hour, 25 minutes   Oven: 425°

1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 medium onions, halved
2 medium carrots, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
3 sweet peppers (green, yellow, and/or red), halved and seeded
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (6 cloves)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups chicken stock or broth
2–2 1/2 lb. meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1. In a medium saucepan combine the wild rice and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until rice is tender; drain. Cover and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large roasting pan combine fennel, onions, carrots, and sweet peppers. Add olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper; toss well. Roast, uncovered, in a 425° oven for about
30 minutes or until vegetables are browned and just tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, chop all vegetables and set aside.

3. In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven combine chicken stock and chicken pieces. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from stock. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Cut meat into bite-size pieces. Return meat to chicken stock along with the rice. Stir in the chopped vegetables, tomatoes, thyme, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Per serving: 187 cal., 6 fat (1 g sat. fat), 39 mg chol.,
955 mg sodium, 17 g carbo., 4 g fiber, 15 g pro.