Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

I have been copying up tons of recipes from my cook books lately, trying to get rid of them and clear up the shelves. Makes me feel more organized to have them all in their little categories on my computer rather than having to leaf through dozens of books when I want one. Plus it's always good to reduce clutter.

This is a recipe that I thought looked good for today's lunch. I originally intended it to just be for Willow but Stephen wanted to have some too. It turned out good. But again, I had to go by the empty bowls, I couldn't try it, creamy soups aren't my thing. The recipe (with my changes in italics) is below. I would halve the amounts next time as this made enough to feed a huge family.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

8 oz/225 g head broccoli
Salt and pepper
2 oz/55g unsalted butter (I used regular plus a tbsp more)
1 onion, chopped
1 1/3 cups basmati rice
8 oz/ 225 g skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin slivers (I found it easier to just dice into cubes)
Scant ¼ cup all-purpose whole
1 ¼ cups milk
2 cups chicken stock (ended up using 3 or more cups, this soup was thick!)
Generous 1/3 cup corn kernels (I didn't measure, I just threw in some frozen corn near the end)
I also added carrot and seasonings: garlic powder, onion salt, dried parsley flakes plus stirred in some shredded sharp Cheddar cheese at the end.

1. Break the broccoli into small florets and cook in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, then plunge into cold water and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion, rice and chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. (Here's where I added my carrots).
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour. (I added the seasonings here also). Return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk and then the stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the broccoli and add to the pan with the corn, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender, then serve.