In a 6 qt dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat then add the mirepoix and sauté the vegetables with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to turn translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Then add in the kosher salt and pepper, the Italian herbs and any fresh herbs you're using, and the minced garlic. Cook for another minute, then stir in the all purpose flour and coat everything in flour, stirring and cooking for another minute or two to get rid of any raw flour taste.

Slowly pour in the low sodium chicken broth, and stir the vegetables to help the flour dissolve into the broth. Add the chicken thighs, wild rice, bay leaves, and heavy cream then let simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes. Make sure to give everything a good stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.

After cooking, remove the bay leaves and chicken thighs. Give the thighs a rough chop with a chef's knife or shred them with two forks, then put the meat back into the pot.

Squeeze in lemon juice, give the soup a taste, then sprinkle in some salt and pepper as needed.

Serve hot with toasty, crusty bread or dinner rolls.