Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup - and Spanish Rice Recipe

[Farmfresh]

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup - This is kind of an "assembled from parts" sort of soup, but it is DELICIOUS.

chicken broth (homemade is best)
chicken (chunks or you can use left overs!)
2 cans of diced tomatoes (or a quart of home canned) with juice
1 can of diced green chilies (or I have used dehydrated home grown hot peppers)
diced onion
diced carrots
diced green (or jalapeno) peppers (optional)
garlic powder - moderate
cumin - light
oregano - generous
cilantro
salt and black pepper
butter or olive oil for saute
1 recipe of Spanish Rice (see below)
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* Add oil to your skillet and saute the chicken chunks (if you are starting from raw) until you get a bit of color on the pieces. OR shred your left over chicken and cut into spoon sized pieces.
* Add oil to your pan and saute the diced veggies until they are softened slightly. (if I am pre-cooking the chicken I just chuck the veggies in when the chicken is browned.)
*When the chicken is ready (it doesn't need to be fully cooked) and the veggies are soft, put them into your stock pot and cover with some good chicken broth.
*Simmer the chicken until it is fully cooked and soft in the broth.
*Add in the tomatoes and chilies with juice from both. (Rotel tomatoes can also be substituted)
*Add more chicken broth until the soup looks more brothy than tomato-e and allow it to simmer for an hour or so to really marry the flavors.
*Add salt, pepper, the cumin and oregano.
*Add in the Spanish rice and heat through to marry those flavors as well.
*Add in diced cilantro and check seasoning levels.
-- The soup should be brothy with chunks of chicken and rice at the bottom of the bowl. You want the broth to be savory and rich and to have a hint of tomato flavor and just enough BITE to make your nose run. It is great to serve with some warm corn tortillas, nachos or some guacamole dip on the side. Our little Mexican restaurant by us assembles the soup to order. They use their Spanish rice, the chicken they use for fajitas, a fresh scoop of pico de gallo, cilantro and some delicious broth to send out about a quart of HOT soup in a huge mixing bowl looking bowl in about 15 minutes. My soup is the same only I cook my veggies a bit longer and add the carrot dices.

------------------------ Bonus Recipe ---------------------

Spanish rice - I sometimes substitute some Zatarain's boxed Spanish rice (doctored with diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes) in the soup.

2 T good olive oil or butter and olive oil combo
1 1/2 cups white rice (I prefer basmati)
1 onion diced
1 can diced green chilies
1 can or 1 pint of diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups good rich chicken broth.
1 t cumin
1 T oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
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*Heat oil in a skillet and add the rice. Start sauteing the rice to add a bit of color.
*Add in the diced onion and diced chilies (save the juice from the chilies if canned) and saute until softened.
*Add the diced tomatoes with juice (and the chili juice if you have it) to heat through
*Stir in the cumin and oregano
*Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally until rice is cooked and most all liquid is absorbed.
*Top with some diced cilantro before serving (optional)
-- This makes a great Mexican side dish. You can even add a bit of cheese to the top if you desire and serve with a dollop of sour cream or a dollop of guacamole. OR use it in the above soup.

[patriceinil]

Sounds yummy!