Gringo Chicken-Rice Soup

EdsGirlAngie's Note:

This warm soup has some nice Southwestern flavors in it, with lots of onions, cilantro, cumin and oregano. The tender chicken is first simmmered to create a broth, then it's added to the soup and almost shreds apart on its own. A tiny bit of cream rounds it out, but it's not a typical heavy cream soup. Delicious, takes a little time, but it's easy once the broth is done.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 carrots, cut into 3 pieces each
• 1 1/2 cups cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1/2 large onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 russet potato, quartered
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 cup minced cilantro
• 1 -2 green onion, sliced,white and part of green

Directions:

1. Combine chicken breasts, carrots, 1-1/2 cups cilantro leaves and stems, quartered onion half, halved garlic cloves and potato.
2. Simmer together with 6 cups of water for about one hour (more if you have the time).
3. Drain and reserve broth and chicken, discarding vegetables.
4. When cool, cube chicken.
5. Heat about 2 cups of reserved broth to almost boiling.
6. In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic together.
7. Stir in flour until a"paste" forms.
8. Add hot broth and whisk briskly to dissolve flour and thicken broth.
9. Add remaining stock, then cumin and oregano, continuing to whisk briskly until flour is dissolved and broth is thickened a little.
10. Stir in cooked rice and cubed cooked chicken.
11. Simmer all together for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
12. Chicken will almost shred itself!
13. Stir in salt, pepper and half and half; heat but do not bring to boil.
14. Just before serving add 1 cup fresh minced cilantro and 1 or 2 sliced green onions.
15. The soup will thicken up overnight; thin with water or broth if you wish.

Reviews

[zoo66]

Really delicious soup. It reminded me of a great soup I had while visiting Peru a couple of years ago...one taste and I was right back there, only that one was made with quinoa instead of rice. Next time I will try it with cooked quinoa. The broth was very tasty and worth the time to make from scratch. I did not have any half and half, so I had to settle for 2% milk, and I also used probably closer to 2 1/2 cups of rice as I was using up some leftovers. I will definitely be making this soup again.