Lime Chicken with Rice Soup

This should really be called a casserole. With a hint of lime it tastes like chicken and rice with a twist! Something about the blend of flavors makes you keep coming back for more. I think I'd try a different long grain rice (this was Basmati) to see if it would hold it's shape a little better, but despite that, it's a delicious dinner recipe. I doubled it and had lots of leftovers!

Ingredients:
2 cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 rib celery, sliced into ½ inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced ½ inch thick
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup long-grain rice
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried lemon thyme

1. Combine the broth, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf, and chicken in the crockery pot. Cover and cook on Low just until the chicken is almost cooked through, 4 to 5 hours on Low.
2. Stir in the rice, cover and cook on Low until the rice is tender, 1 ½ to 3 hours.
3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lime juice and peel, black pepper, and thyme. Cover and cook for 5 minutes
Makes 4 servings