Chicken Lime Soup

Chicken Lime Soup

Serves 6.

4 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
8 limes
2 quarts (2 boxes) chicken stock
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups diced zucchini
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 cup medium salsa (I love Casa Sanchez - hot)
salt & pepper
1 package tortilla chips (I love Casa Sanchez - Thick & Crispy)
2 cups cooked white long-grain rice

Cut any fat off of the chicken breasts and place the breasts in a glass casserole dish. Squeeze the juice of 3 limes over them. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes or so. Grill 5 minutes to a side, or until done. Allow to cool. Shred and reserve.

Bring broth to a simmer. Add garlic, celery and carrots, and simmer 15 minutes. Add zucchini and mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, juice of remaining limes, tomatoes and simmer a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salsa and cilantro (save a little for garnish). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon into soup bowls. Pass rice and tortilla chips in separate bowls. Garnish with a touch of cilantro. We discovered tonight that Tecate goes really well with this meal.

notes:
*We've made this soup for 4 years now. It is a true winner. The secret is the fresh lime.
*If you prefer, you can add rice to your soup bowl, instead of serving it on the side.
*The easiest way to shred chicken is by placing the chicken on a cutting board and using two forks. Start with the forks close together and pull away in a sort of a criss-cross method.
*I recommend getting a lime squeezer.
*I may hesitate adding salsa at all if it's from a jar. Fresh is always best.

Bon appétit!