Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Difficult: Medium
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 minced large clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 crushed whole cloves
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 thinly sliced celery stalks with leaves
2 chopped large onions
2 diced carrots
1 thinly sliced leek
2 litre chicken stock
salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup long grain rice
2 peeled, cored and diced tart medium apples
1 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream

Directions

Combine garlic and spices.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and saute until lightly browned on all sides.
Transfer chicken to stockpot.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
Add celery, onion, carrot, leek and spice mixture and blend well.
Add a small ladle of stock and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender.
Add to chicken.
Stir in remaining stock and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Remove chicken with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add rice to soup and continue cooking 15 minutes.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones.
Return chicken to soup and blend in apples and yogurt.
Simmer 10 minutes.
Degrease soup if necessary.
Stir in lemon juice, then blend in cream, if used.