Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)
½ cup sliced celery (1 stalk)
½ cup sliced carrot or sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 14-ounce can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 10 ¾ ounce can reduced-fat, condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup water
1 6 ¼ ounce package chick-flavored rice pilaf mix
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 ½ cups milk
2 cups chopped cooked chicken

In a large saucepan, cook celery, onion and carrot in hot butter over medium heat until tender.

Add chicken broth, soup, and water. Stir in pilaf mix with the seasoning packet and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in milk and cooked chicken; heat through.