Cook time: About 45 minutes.

What’s one really great thing about winter? Soup season! This makes a huge pot of tasty soup, chunky and chock full of chicken and vegetables. A personal favorite of mine, and a frequently requested recipe.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken (you can use light or dark meat)
1 cup water
1 medium onion
3 bell peppers
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed
3 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
Juice and zest of one lime
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs ground corriander
1 6 to 8 inch corn tortilla, cut into very small pieces
2 16 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 entire can of corn with liquid
32 oz vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup milk, warmed
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup chopped cilantro

Use a large pot with a tight fitting lid.

Liberally salt and pepper each piece of chicken on both sides. Brown it well on each side over medium high heat, about 5 minutes per side. Add 1 cup water, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove and set aside, leaving pot on the heat. Add a tablespoon or two of corn oil if needed.

Very lightly salt and pepper each layer as you add in vegetables. Stir!

In the same pot over medium high heat, right into the chicken drippings, add onions and jalapenos.

When onions have softened, add bell peppers. Sautee about 8 minutes.

Stir in garlic, allow to cook about 2 minutes.

Add in lime zest, cumin, coriander, tortilla and half of the cilantro. Cook 2 more minutes.

Add salt, pepper, corn, tomatoes and stock. Turn hear to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium. Leave pot uncovered. Cook until vegetables have softened. Squeeze in lime juice.

While the soup bubbles away, shred your chicken by hand. You can chop it if you prefer. Add into soup pot.

In the final few minutes, add in the warm milk, cilantro and cheese. Mix until cheese is completely melted into the soup.

Serve with garnish like fresh cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, corn chips, cheese – maybe even a quesadilla! The soup is still soup-er tasty even without all the garnish.

Enjoy!
~Amelia