Foodie Fridays: Mexican Chicken Soup

New Mexico is the only place I have ever lived where cilantro has thrived in my garden.  This herb loves the warm, dry, and sunny climate, and is so vigorous here that it is a reseeding annual - once planted and allowed to go to seed it will come back year after year.  Recently my neighbor, who has been gardening for decades here, gave me some of his excess cilantro that comes up in his cold frame annually (my cilantro comes back outdoors and is still too small to harvest).  He gave me quite a lot so I looked for a recipe that called for a good bit of cilantro.  This Mexican Chicken Soup was the result, and I love it!  Be forewarned, however, that not everyone is fond of this herb (including my husband) so this soup is for cilantro lovers only.  I am one of those people who likes to double the amount of cilantro in any recipe that calls for it, so it was perfect for me, but I will be finishing this soup on my own.

I made a couple of changes besides doubling the cilantro.  I forgot to get a jalapeno pepper so I substituted a small can of fire roasted green chiles instead, and since I had a container of refrigerated fresh salsa I used that instead of canned tomatoes.  I added a generous amount of tajin seasoning to add more chile and lime flavoring as well as some salt, and also put in a small amount of maple balsamic vinegar to add a touch of sweetness.  Since store-bought chicken stock comes in a 4-cup container, I just added 2 cups of water rather than use half of another box, and the flavor was fine.  For all of you fellow cilantro lovers out there, this soup is for you!

Mexican Chicken Soup

2 T. olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, diced*
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies**
6 C. chicken stock (or 4 C. broth and 2 C. water)
1 tsp. cumin
1-1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts or tenders
1 lime, juiced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. tajin seasoning
1 T. maple balsamic vinegar
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Sauté celery, onion, and jalapeño pepper until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté one minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, and chicken.  Cook over medium heat until the chicken is tender (I let it cook for about an hour).

Remove the chicken breasts or tenders from the soup, allow to cool slightly, and tear them into chunks or shreds.  Return the chicken to the pot.  Stir in the lime juice, cilantro, tajin seasoning, and maple balsamic vinegar.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Serve the soup in large bowls with slices of avocado and lime.  Serves 6.

*I used a small (4 oz.) can of fire roasted chopped green chiles (add to soup with the tomatoes).
**I used one container of fresh refrigerated salsa.

On the Homefront: Two of Our Favorite Places to Visit in Santa Fe

If you ever get to visit downtown Santa Fe, the two places that my husband and I recommend are the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the nearby restaurant Fiesta Oaxaca.  We have been fans of the museum since it first opened in 1997.  We got to visit the first week it opened, and it was then that I discovered my favorite artwork by O'Keeffe, her painting entitled "Rust Red Hills" (1930).  Exhibits change on a regular basis, and the artist's works from other museums as well as objects from her Abiquiu house are often displayed in addition to the museum's own collection.  We went to see the recent exhibit "Georgia O'Keeffe: Making a Life" and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I just adore the colorful interior! (from the restaurant website)

The restaurant patio open to the outdoors on a lovely warm day.

Just a short walk away from the museum is one of our favorite restaurants, Fiesta Oaxaca, which features moles, one of my husband's favorite foods.  He loves to order their Mole de Oaxaca, a chicken dish smothered in a dark mole sauce which is rich and deeply flavorful.  My favorites include their Enchiladas de Mole de Oaxaca and Chilpachole de Mariscos, a tasty seafood soup that is so satisfying on a cold day.  Be sure to order their mole tasting appetizer, which includes the five different moles they serve.  (I look forward to trying their mole de verde the next time we dine there!)  The restaurant has a wonderfully colorful interior as well as a patio that is completely enclosed and heated during the cold months but open to the outdoors when it warms up.

Across the street from both the restaurant and the museum is the Santa Fe County John Gaw Meem Historic Building,  designed by Santa Fe's most acclaimed architect and recently restored to its original glory.  It is worthwhile stopping by to visit the beautiful courtyard (shown above) and to admire the wonderful southwestern architecture.

"Homage to the Burro" by Charles Southard (1988)

From the restaurant it is an easy walk to the downtown plaza via historic Burro Alley, which is my favorite street of course (I described it previously here).  As you head to the plaza, be sure to stop by my husband's favorite place, Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, which has an amazing collection of beautiful southwest Native American pottery, including the works of Maria Martinez.

Right now is a lovely time to visit Santa Fe, as we had a relatively wet spring and wildflowers are blooming everywhere.  The landscape is very green and the mild temperatures are so comfortable for exploring the city.  Oh, and one more activity you may enjoy while on the plaza is a visit to the rooftop bar at the famous La Fonda on the Plaza for a drink, appetizers, and a spectacular overview of the city and surrounding mountains.  The rooftop bar is only open during the warmer months, so if this appeals to you plan your trip accordingly!