Zesty Chicken and Rice Soup with Lime and Cilantro

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• Canola oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 3 celery ribs, diced small
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 3 – 3 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (*see note below)
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• ½ corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 cups cooked rice (I like to use jasmine for the additional flavor)
• Jalapeño slices, tortilla strips, and lime wedges, for garnish

(*To prepare the chicken breasts, use 2 split chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on, about 1 ½ pounds, total; sprinkle a couple of pinches of salt and pepper over them, and roast them at 400° for 40 minutes; once cool enough to handle, remove skin and discard bones, and shred the meat.)

Preparation:

-Place a medium-large soup pot over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 4 tablespoons of oil; once the oil gets hot, add in the onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for a 1-2 minutes.

-Add in a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper, plus the cumin, coriander, chili powder, and pinch of cayenne pepper, and saute for a few more minutes, until the veggies begin to become tender.

-Stir in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in the chicken stock.

-Bring the soup up to a rolling simmer, and then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

-Finish the soup by adding in the shredded chicken breasts, peas, corn kernels, lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro; check to see if any additional salt or pepper is needed.

-To serve, add some of the rice (about ½ cup of so) to the bottom of your bowl, and ladle over the hot soup; garnish with additional lime, some sliced jalapenos, or some crispy tortilla strips.

From thecozyapron.com