Changin Up an Old Favorite

Good morning! It’s about freakin time I shared a recipe on here. We’ve been cooking at home but it has been lots of BBQ’d steak and seafood – nothing more difficult than flipping food over a grill a few minutes.

Last night I made a variation to one of my rotating staples – Mexican Soup. Mexican soup is so quick and easy to make that it has long been a favorite around here. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand and yet come off tasting incredibily fresh. I don’t think we’ll ever go back to the original after last night’s version though, it was so delicious.

And even though it is “soup” the lime and cilantro really make this meal feel light and fresh – perfect for summer.

Spicy Rice-y Soupy Supper

(wait, didn’t you know ryhmes and alliteration are a bloggers best friend )

Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken Breasts, cut into small cubes
• 4 Cups Cooked White Rice – best if chilled or dried out (ie left over rice is perfect for this)
• 1 Jalapeno, diced (I used half for people who like more mild foods)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
• 1 Can Black Beans, Strained
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 Cup Water
• 1 Bullion Cube – Chicken OR 1 tsp Better Than Bullion Chicken
• Alternatively use 1 Can of Chicken Broth in place of the water and bullion
• 1/8 Cup Chopped Cilantro (more or less)
• 1 Lime
• Queso Fresco (optional)
• Pepper to Taste

Method:

• In a skillet, combine the diced chicken, jalapeno and onion. Season chicken with pepper as desired. You really don’t need to add salt since the tomatoes will add plenty of sodium. Cook on medium/high heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked and then starts to brown. Let it brown up a bit more than you would typically do.
• Add in the water and bullion (or your chicken broth) and scrape down the “browning” from the sides of the skillet. Reduce to low heat.
• Add in the tomatoes, black beans and cooked rice. Stir until well combined and thoroughly heated.
• At the very end, add in the cilantro and juice from the lime. Let simmer an additional five minutes.
• Serve with a light topping of queso fresco and any additional cilantro as desired.