Cocko's Southwestern Chicken Soup
A done-up take on a Southwest American classic. Tender chicken breast with beans, corn, and roasted peppers in a rich broth. Not as heavy as a chilli or stew, this dish is great on the side or as a main.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp veggie or olive oil
- 1 kg chicken breasts, cut into hearty chunks (2.5 lbs)
- 1 large yellow or white onion, diced
- 2-3 poblano or bell peppers, roasted then sliced see step 1
- 3-4 jalapeño peppers (or any other mildly spicy pepper), seeded and chopped Add a habanero if you want some extra heat
- 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chili paste See notes for instructions; can just chili powder if you want to be boring
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 5 cups chicken stock (2.5 cubes of stock)
- 1 400 g canned tomatoes (~14 oz can)
- 2 400g canned corn, drained and rinsed frozen corn or freshly cooked corn off the cob works as well
- 1-2 400g canned black and/or kidney beans
- 1-2 limes juiced for garnish
- 1-2 avocados, sliced and diced
- Cilantro ("coriander") for garnish
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- To roast the peppers, I put them in the oven under a broiler under max heat for 5-8 mins. Rotate them and roast for another 3-5 mins. Take them out and let them cool for 5 mins before cutting the stem out and let the juices drain out. Then cut them into thick julienne slices. Set aside. If you have a gas stove top, you can also roast them directly over the flame. This is a more intensive way to cook, but the benefit is that it will have more of a charred flavour. Just put them over a medium high flame for a couple of minutes, rotating them with some tongs. You can also use a charcoal or gas grill.
- The next step is browning the chicken. Add half the oil to the dutch oven and let it heat up over medium-high heat. Add a generous dose of salt and pepper to the cubed chicken and add to the pot. It's important to leave some space in the dutch oven so that the chicken browns and doesn't steam. I had to do it in three batches, 3-5 min each side. This can take a bit of time. Transfer to plate and let cool.
- Add the other half of the oil back to the dutch oven and heat to medium-low. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 mins. Stir regularly. Add the jalapeños and cook for another 3 mins.
- Add garlic, roasted peppers, chili paste (or powder), tomato paste, chipotle peppers, and cumin. Stir it up and let it cook for 1-2 mins.
- Stir in the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, corn, and beans. Give it a healthy stir and then add the chicken back in. Bring the mix to a boil and then reduce to a simmer with the lid on for 20-30 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Once everything is nicely cooked, serve with cilantro/coriander, a few slices of avocado, and lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper if desired.