World's Best Chicken Soup

I LOVE chicken soup but am allergic to wheat so can't do noodles. My husband hates rice, so I used quinoa in this. It was absolutely delicious. My husband agrees, and that's a huge complement since he is the "soup chef" at our local VA hospital and his soups are very popular out there.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 7 cups

Ingredients

• 6  cups chicken broth (I used Swanson's)
• 1 (10 ounce) can  white chicken meat, with liquid (Canned is fast. Rotisserie chicken minus the bones and skin are even better)
• 1⁄2 cup quinoa or 1⁄2 cup rice
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  carrot, sliced in thin rings
• 1  stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1  bunch green onion, coarsely chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2  teaspoons dried parsley (2 tablespoons of fresh would be better, but I was out of it)
• 1  bay leaf
•  fresh ground black pepper
•  parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet on medium high heat until the butter melts. Saute the carrot, celery, onions, and garlic, until the garlic and onions are somewhat transparent.
2. In a soup pot, heat the broth, quinoa, and chicken to boiling.
3. Add the sauteed veggies, parsley, and bay leaf.
4. Simmer 15 minutes, mashing the chicken chunks with the back of a wooden spoon to separate them.
5. Serve with fresh ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese to taste.