Chicken Fajita Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin chicken cutlets, cut into thin strips
- Juice of 2 limes, divided
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large or 4 medium bell peppers, seeds removed and sliced
- 1-2 large red onions, sliced
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems
- 1 cup plus one quart chicken stock, divided
- 1 can stewed tomatoes (15 ounces)
- Hot sauce, to taste
- 6 flour tortillas (6-8 inches in diameter)
- 2 handfuls of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Preparation
In a shallow bowl, combine the chicken strips with the juice of 1 lime and the coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Let the chicken marinate while you cut the veggies for the soup.
Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan vegetable oil, about 2 tablespoons. Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke, then carefully add the marinated chicken to the pot, spreading it out in an even layer (the oil can have a bad attitude and spit at you, so be careful). Let it brown up completely on one side before moving the pieces.
Add the peppers, onions, garlic and thyme to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes, until the veggies just start to get tender. Add the beer or stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot; then the stewed tomatoes, chicken stock and some hot sauce to taste. Bring up to a bubble and simmer while you prepare the tortillas.
If you have a gas cooking range, turn the flame to medium and, using tongs, place the tortilla right on top of the flame. Turn it and flip it until it starts to blister on both sides – don’t walk away, this needs your full attention!
If you don't have a gas range, place a medium-large dry skillet over high heat and, working with one tortilla at a time, blister them in the skillet on both sides. As you blister each tortilla, stack and wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep them warm and pliable.
Once all the tortillas have been blistered, cut the stack in half, stack the two halves on top of each other and slice them into short thin strips. Divide the strips between four serving bowls and reserve while you finish the soup.
Add more hot sauce and salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup over the tortillas and top with some cilantro, the remaining lime juice and the diced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream.
This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, go to www.yum-o.org.
