MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUPfeatured

True confession. I am the worst at figuring out what to eat for the week. Since it’s just me and I work full time, I’m usually tapped out by the time I get home. The heart is willing to make something awesome, but the body really just wants to lay on the couch and watch the latest episode The Mindy Project. I kicked around the idea of creating a blog all about making meals that can last you for an entire week. But then I decided to binge watch seasons 1-5 of Parenthood instead.

Point being, soup is kind of my solve for this problem. I can make it on a Sunday, I can dump in all kinds of veggies and it lasts all week. In fact, I’ll usually divide the batch in half, stick half in my freezer and get into it a few months later. I feel like a genius when I do this.

The best thing about soup is how easy it is and how you can customize it for your taste. For example, you hate cilantro? Leave it out. Taste it and then add more of what you like. Personally I love cilantro so I don’t even measure it; I just dump a ton in. If you want a really chunky soup, add more stuff at the end if you need. Like it more brothy? Add less stuff. There is no science to making this kind of soup. Have fun making it work for you.

The one main soup rule? Please taste as you go along. Add more or less of what you need as you taste it. For example, depending on the brand of chicken broth you use, you might need more or less salt/pepper. Add a little at a time and work up from there.

Recipe: Mexican Chicken Soup  |  Soundtrack:  Lord Huron

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1.5 medium sized onions chopped
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 3/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt (add more if needed)
• 8-10 red potatoes scrubbed and cubed
• 2.5 cups white corn
• 1/3 cup cilantro (or more if you love cilantro)
• 8 oz diced chilies (fresh or canned)
• Avocado
• Limes

Directions:
Rinse chicken and place in a dutch oven or soup pot. Add broth, onion, tomatoes, lemon zest, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 20-25 minutes. Cut into the thickest part of the chicken breast to test if needed. Lift out chicken, place on a plate and let cool until it can be handled.

In the meantime, add cubed potatoes to the pot. Cover and cook over medium until tender when pierced, about 20 minutes. While potatoes are cooking and when chicken is cooled, shred chicken using your fingers. Set aside.

When potatoes are tender, add chicken back into the pot along with corn, cilantro and chilies. Cook until everything is warm and heated through.

Pit, peel and dice avocado and slice limes into wedges. After pouring soup into individual bows, top with avocado and squeeze limes to taste.

by