creamy mushroom, chicken and rice soup

i love any type of soup, especially in the winter time. i could live off mushrooms for the rest of my life, so naturally i LOVE this soup.
ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter -
- 2 tablespoons canola oil -
- 16 ounces, bella mushrooms - chopped, wiped clean with damp cloth
- 1 onion - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme -
- 1/4 cup flour -
- 4 cups hot water -
- 4 bouillon cubes -
- 2 raw chicken breasts - diced
- 3/4 cup cooked rice -
- 1/2 cup milk -
instructions:
heat a large pot over medium high heat and add the butter and oil. once hot, add the chopped mushrooms and let sear for about 3-4 minutes. season with salt/pepper to taste, and toss around the pot until brown. add in the onions, garlic and dried thyme. saute for about 3-4 minutes until tender. sprinkle flour over the veggies and toss to coat. allow to cook, continually stirring, allowing the flour taste to cook off. stir in the water gradually to the pot, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot. carefully add in the bouillon cubes and chicken pieces into the broth, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until flavors blend. add in the cooked rice and milk, stir and let simmer for a few minutes.
this is a very versatile recipe, so feel free to use chicken broth or even homemade stock instead of bouillon. heavy cream or half and half never hurt anyone, so please sub in for the milk if you want to. wild rice would work great in the recipe as well.