Something Like Chicken Chili

On the first cool night of fall, I wanted either Chicken Chili or Chicken Tortilla Soup. Soups and stews are not in my usual repertoire so I kinda made it up with the help of The Joy of Cooking cookbook and a few online recipes. At first I didn't think I had a winner, but when I served it over blue corn tortilla chips topped with sour cream, grated cheese and fresh cilantro - magnifico!

Mexican Chicken Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup

1 lb. chicken breasts
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
2-3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated
3 Tbs. lime juice
optional: corn chips, sour cream, shredded cheese

In a pot, combine chicken and broth, bring to a boil then lower heat, partially cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes until chicken is just cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool and reserve broth, skimming fat.

Meanwhile to prepare cilantro, finely chop the stems and set aside.  Coarsely chop most of the leaves and set aside. Reserve some leaves for final presentation.  To prepare chicken, shred the chicken breasts in bite size pieces when cool enough to handle.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat then add onions and celery. Cook 4 minutes then add garlic and jalapeños and cook one additional minute. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt to vegetables and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, chopped cilantro stems, and reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the chicken, beans, chopped cilantro leaves and lime juice. Simmer 5 minutes. Salt to taste. If serving over salted tortilla chips, don't add additional salt.

To serve:  add blue corn chips (Xochitl) to a bowl, spoon soup over chips, add a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and top with cilantro leaves.  Yummy!