Chile Chicken Soup

 

Chile Chicken Soup

The holidays are approaching, winter is not far behind, and you may be feeding your family, friends and neighbors!  I have, here, a fantastic recipe perfect for the feasts and fun frivolity approaching! This recipe can be altered to meet your specific needs, even as a vegan soup.  Let's get to it!

Ingredients

1 package, or, 6 good sized chicken thighs, cubed

1  16oz can diced tomatoes 

1 small can of fire roasted green chiles

2 large or 3 medium dried Chile Ancho pods, stemmed and seeded

1 16 oz can of whole kernel corn

About 16 small baby Yukon Gold potatoes

1/2 head garlic, halved and salted

1 large or 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 rounded tablespoon (or two) oregano

1 rounded teaspoon thyme

Smoked Paprika

1 rounded tablespoon black pepper 

Salt 

Pickled Jalapeno juice, 1/4 cup 

                                   1 20 oz can rinsed kidney beans

Your favorite braising oil (I used evoo)

If you want to Ingredients

I wanted my chicken soup to be a bit fiery, so I added some of these below.  You could not add them if you want your soup more traditional.  In addition, you could change the chicken to tofu or, leave it out altogether. 

Jerk Seasoning (strongly recommend) 

Sliced, pickled Jalapenos (sorry, I don't know how to add the omniglot)

Pickled Jalapeno juice, 1/4 cup

Chipotle powder or your favorite chile powder

This was the hard part.  The rest is a breeze. 

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Add three generous rounds of oil to a large pot over high heat.  Add the onions, dried Ancho chile pods, and the garlic halves.  Place the garlic halves cut side down.  Any cloves that may have escaped, peel them and throw them in, too!  Add salt and a little black pepper and stir, about three minutes.  Add the pickled jalapeno juice (or, white wine vinegar is fine, too) and stir the ingredients around. Next, move the ingredients to the sides of the pot.  Add the cubed chicken thighs.

(You could use chicken breasts for this, especially because it is a soup, but I almost exclusively use chicken thighs because they are softer and juicier. In my advancing age, I prefer thigh meat because it is easier on my aging teeth, too.)  

Allow the cubed thigh meat to caramelize, about three or four minutes one side, then the other.  It is easy to use a spoon or spatula to swish them around rather than to turn each one over with a pair of tongs.  Monotonous, isn't it? Add a little salt and pepper and swish those babies around!

After about eight minutes, add a cup of hot water and stir and scrape the bottom of the pot for those cooked on dark bits.  Those are flavor!!!  Morgan and I call those "nibbly bits".  Add the potatoes along with a good pinch of salt and pepper.  Now, add a second cup of hot

water and stir.  

THIS is the time to add jalapenos and chipotle powder or your favorite ground chile. I did use chipotle powder. Smells so good! Add the can of diced green chiles and diced canned tomatoes. Add the jerk seasoning (whether it is from a rub or in soft form) and thoroughly combine Everything! For merry measure, you could add a half a can or bottle of beer. I didn't this time, but I usually do. If the mixture is too thick, add an extra cup or two of hot water.  Water is essential to help the flavors marry and distribute throughout the pot.  

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for two hours. An hour into the simmer, I add fresh oregano and thyme.  They add tremendous aroma, flavorings and beauty!  Stir and cover again and let simmer another hour. 

Voi La!  It's time to serve!

I had purchased a bag of "hint of lime" corn chips and they went perfectly with this meal.  I garnished with fresh oregano.  

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. It is much simpler than I am making it sound. 😅 The prep work is less than half an hour, and the simmering allows you to go about your evening.  This recipe is also Perfect for a crock pot!  Set it on low for eight hours and enjoy your day! 

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Thank you very much for sticking with my humble little blog and myself. I appreciate you all more than you know!  Now, file this recipe in your recipe box and Go Cook For Someone You Love! ❤

~ Martin

In-House Cook