Chicken Creole Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
2 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)
2 stalks celery, chopped (2 cups)
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I use the petite diced that you get at superwalmart)
2 dried bay leaves or 1 fresh bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup uncooked regular long grain rice
2 cups water

Preparation

Melt butter in 5 to 6 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Cook onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and chicken in butter 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Stir in flour.
Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is light brown.
Stir in remaining ingredients except rice and water.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium low.
Cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender.
Meanwhile, cook rice in water as directed on package; stir cooked rice into soup.
Remove bay leaves.