Count Down to Cinco de Mayo: Mexican Minestrone

Mexican Minestrone

Mexican Minestrone

When I received this recipe via email from Tori Ritchie, I knew I had to try it.  It has some yummy and healthy ingredients - garlic, chopped cilantro, a chipotle pepper, garbanzo beans, chicken rice, and a squeeze of lime juice.  Another plus for this soup is that it comes together quickly.  You start by cooking a chopped onion and  diced carrots in vegetable oil.  Add garlic, chopped cilantro, a chopped chipotle pepper. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.  Add some chicken broth, water and garbanzo beans.  Bring to a boil and simmer  for 20 minutes.  While the soup is simmering you cook up your rice.  After the soup has cooked for 20 minutes add your shredded cooked chicken from a rotisserie bird and heat it through.  Season the soup with salt to taste.  To serve the soup, place some cooked rice in a soup bowl.  Ladle some soup over the rice and garnish with avocado and cilantro leaves.  Be sure to add a lime wedge to each bowl. It is amazing the taste a squeeze of lime adds to the soup.

This soup is has a little heat to it but it is delicious.


Mexican Minestrone
From Tori  Ritchie

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
1 canned chipotle in adobo* chopped (or 2 teaspoons smoked pimenton "picante")
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (from a rotisserie bird)
Salt
1 cup raw white rice
1 large avocado, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and carrot.  Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chopped cilantro, and chipotle and cool for 30 seconds.  Add the broth, water and garbanzo beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in chicken at the end to heat it through.  Season to taste with salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, bring 2 cups water to boil with a pinch of salt, stir in the rice, then cover and simmer until cooked, 18 to 20 minutes.
3. To serve, divide cooked rice among soup bowls.  Ladle soup over rice and garnish with avocado and cilantro leaves; add a lime wedge to each bowl to squeeze over the soup.

Note: Do not misread this as "1 whole can" chipotle in adobo...you only want to use one of these fiery little beasts from the can; fish it out with a fork with some of the sauce clinging to it.

Serves 4

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