Verde Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is a universal medicine and comfort food. Every culture has their version of it to nourish the sick back to health. I was inspired recently to look beyond our American classic and discovered a version from Peru with fresh cilantro and lime. The color is beyond vibrant green. The taste is warm and bright. As we wind down summer and turn the page to fall, peppers are still available at local farmers markets and farmstands. Enjoy the warmth of summer flavors while they last. Or better yet, freeze a portion to enjoy on a snowy day this December.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
*2 poblano peppers chopped
*1 green bell pepper chopped
*4-5 garlic cloves chopped
*1/2 bunch of cilantro and 1/2 bunch parsley roughly chopped
*1 bunch of scallions with white portion and a little green chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt and pepper to taste
*6-8 Yukon gold potatoes chopped into 3/4 inch chunks
Chicken shredded from 1 whole chicken (you could easily buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it)
32 oz bone broth
1/4 cup filtered water
1-2 limes juiced
*sourced from Cure Farm Stand in East Boulder
Instructions:
In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Sauté for a few minutes. Then add the peppers with a generous pinch or two of salt. Sauté until the onions and peppers soften up and start to take on a bit of color. Stir in the garlic. Sauté for a minute or two until fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a fews minutes. Transfer into a large mason jar and add the cilantro, parsley and scallions with 1/4 cup water. Puree with a hand immersion blender until smooth, or alternately, transfer to a high-speed blender. If too thick, add a little water to thin to a salsa-like consistency.
Return the thick bottomed pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the bone broth, potatoes and chicken along with the cumin and coriander with a generous pinch or two of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes becomes fork tender —- around 20-30 minutes. Add back in the blender pepper and onion puree along with the juice of 1-2 limes. Let you taste buds guide you on the acid level. Add more salt and pepper to taste as well.
Top with some chopped cilantro and pumpkin seeds. Or serve a portion of the Herbed Tomato Salad on top.
Enjoy!
Dr. Jane Litsey