Mexican Chicken & Lime Soup
By February, my body says soup for dinner, but my brain says, NO MORE! I love soup more than the average person, but even I have limits. Around this time of year, I start craving brighter, crisper flavors, but the weather still calls for slow cooked meals. My (not so) secret weapon is citrus. Not just a little spritz of citrus, like, A LOT of citrus. This soup calls for the juice of four entire limes. It’s not quite mouth puckering, but it definitely is enough of a kick to wake your taste buds up a bit. Combined with the fresh cilantro added at the end, it’s like a fiesta for your mouth. Make sure to grate the zest of one of the limes for the cornbread that follows. As my grandmother used to say: waste not, want not!
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup salsa verde
8 cups chicken broth
14 ounce jar diced tomatoes
1 whole cooked chicken, shredded OR 4 chicken breasts cooked in the broth and shredded
1 can white beans, drained
the juice of 4 limes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
for topping:
yogurt
hot sauce
more cilantro
Directions:
Grab a large pot or dutch oven and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir while they become translucent and wonderfully fragrant. Aren’t you hungry? Add the cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and sugar and give it a good stir. Add the salsa verde, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, shredded chicken, and white beans. Give it all a good stir and check to make sure you have enough liquid to cover the solids in the soup. If not, give it another splash of chicken broth. Add a lid and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir the lime juice and chopped cilantro through. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy the party!
