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.