Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I found this recipe in the October 2017 issue of Cooking Light.  I love soup and always looking for a new twist on chicken soup.

5 bacon slices, chopped
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. thinly sliced carrot
1/2 C. thinly sliced celery
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 8oz. package presliced cremini mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 C. unsalted chicken stock
1 C. water
4 C. lightly packed curly kale
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6oz. shredded boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1 8oz. package precooked wild rice
1 C. half and haof
1/3 C. all purpose flour

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add bacon to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon, reserving 1 tbsp. drippings.  Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes.  Add thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes.  Add stock and 1cup water; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Add kale, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes.  Stir in chicken and rice.

Combine half and half and flour in bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Stir into soup; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Top with bacon.