Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add onions, carrots, yellow squash, and celery to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with salt and sauté for 3-5 minutes until soft. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
2 cups carrots, 1 yellow onion, 1 medium yellow squash, 3 ribs celery
Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2 cloves garlic
In a separate pot, prepare the 2 cups of rice according to package instructions.
To the Dutch oven, pour in chicken broth and add chicken breasts.
8 cups chicken broth, 4 medium sized chicken breasts
In the same Dutch oven, add in Italian seasoning and bay leaves.
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 2 bay leaves
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, uncovered.
You want to simmer the soup until chicken breasts are fully cooked through (165 degrees F).
Remove the chicken breasts and shred. I prefer to place them into a stand mixer to shred, but it can also be done with 2 forks.
Add shredded chicken back to the soup.
Spoon cooked rice into bowls and then ladle soup over top.