Dad's Chicken Soup

I took my dad's great hearty chicken soup recipe and made it a little healthier.

Ingredients:
2 T. Olive Oil
1 garlic, whole peeled
6 chicken thighs, skinned and deboned
6 chicken breasts, skinned and deboned
12 whole onions, small (new)
2 49-oz. cans low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
5 whole carrots (or small package of baby carrots)
16 oz. extra long grain brown rice
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
2 links andouille turkey sausage (or chorizo turkey sausage)
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup lowfat skim milk
16 oz. frozen english peas
2 stalks chopped celery

1. Sauteed garlic cloves in olive oil in bottom of stock pot.
2. Cut chicken pieces and sausage into 1" squares and brown with garlic in stock pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Peel small whole onions and add.
4. Add chicken broth and heat until boiling. Add carrots and celery.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat until onions and carrots are tender (15-20 minutes).
6. Add package of rice and raise heat until boils. Lower heat, cover and simmer until rice done (about 15 minutes).
7. Add milk and frozen peas and simmer until hot.

Hints:
If you want more broth, use less rice.
The soup freezes well and makes great take-and-go lunches.