Mexican Chicken Soup

I've never been a big fan of traditional chicken soup because I'm not a big fan of most of the veggies in it - carrots, namely (in fact, I've never been a big fan of vegetables at all, and only in recent years have I forced myself to start liking broccoli, green beans, zucchini and a few select others for need of something green in my diet). Anyway, since I don't do carrots in any way, shape or form, chicken soup has always been something that sounds good in theory, but when made to my liking with just chicken and noodles, is disappointing in reality. Then I discovered Rachael Ray's recipe for Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup and suddenly, chicken soup was exciting again. What I lack in appreciation for vegetables, I more than make up for in my love of spice and bold flavors and this soup is full of both. Below is my version inspired by Rachael's.

Ingredients
6-7 cups chicken stock
2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 (28oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes*
2 tbsp evoo
1-2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce**
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp minced garlic
s&p to taste

Garnish
diced avocado
tortilla chips
shredded pepperjack or mexican-blend cheese
diced green onion
cilantro

* I can't always find fire-roasted, so sometimes I sub regular diced and add a few teaspoons of liquid smoke to get the same smokey flavor
** Ancho or chipotle chili powder also makes a good substitute here - again, the goal is the smokey chili flavor

Cut chicken breasts into halves or big chunks. In a large soup pot, submerge chicken in chicken stock to poach. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer partially covered for about 20 minutes.

While chicken in poaching, in a separate saute pan, cook onion, bell peppers, garlic and jalapenos until tender, then remove from heat.

Once chicken is cooked, remove from liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Bring stock back to a boil and add onion and pepper mixture, along with canned tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Reduce to a simmer and cover partially.

While soup is simmering, shred poached chicken breasts by hand or with two forks if still too warm to handle. Add chicken back to pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare/shop ingredients for garnish (I recommend using them all!), and soup should be ready when you are.

A fond farewell to 2009

For some reason it overhwelms me to write about holidays. Maybe it's because holidays themselves are overwhelming... and funny enough, I actually welcome, enjoy and whole-heartedly accept the chaos they bring. I've always been the type to embrace a challenge, and I derive great pleasure out of conquering them. Maybe I get overwhelmed because by the time the day actually comes my head is already on the next one - that sense of "ok, what next?". Or maybe it's because the holidays can be so emotional that it's difficult to sum up all of those feelings into words. Or maybe, this year, it's because it has been an especially overwhelming year in general. While it started off like many others with optimism and high hopes, I was laid off in January from a job I loved dearly, and I've yet to find a way to fill the emptiness of that loss.

I work in marketing, and it's been a very tough time in our industry as our budgets are generally the first ones cut when the going gets tough. And again, I love a challege so I've always tried to be the "tough get going" type, but even the toughest have their limits. I've heeded all of the advice and I've done everything I can possibly think of with as much optimism and enthusiasm I can muster (my resume is spotless, I built myself a website, all my online profiles are up to date, and I network like it's going out of style - which, I almost hope it would I'm so tired of that word). I even started my own company attempting to freelance my skills, but for an outgoing people person who thrives in a creative environment, it's hard to stay motivated when your office is your dining room and your coworkers are dogs.

And while these tough times are part of life, I'm ready for that part of my life to be behind me (did I mention I was laid off less than a year before that too? Indeed, I had the great fortune of working for a homebuilder during the housing market crash). Granted, 2009 was not without some good - mostly in the form of unconditionally supportive family and friends, but aside from them, I'm looking forward to putting it all behind me and not looking back. I continue to believe that experiences like this truly do make you stronger, but so does knowing how to move on. So with that, I raise a glass to the new year, and wish for everyone a better year than the one before. Cheers!