Chicken and Vegetable Soup

There's snow in the forecast for the weekend so like every other good Southerner - I'm stocking up on supplies and preparing to be snowed in the house for at least a month.❄️😂 The chances that we'll see actual snow this weekend is fairly low but that doesn't stop Georgia residents from emptying the grocery store shelves.  It's possible that we're all just using this wintery forecast as a good excuse to buy carbs and beer, but either way - we're prepared.  🍞🍺 

The first thing Southerners do when snow is in the forecast is head to the grocery store. 🥛The second thing we do is run outside with our camera phones to document the event. 🤳🏻And lastly, we eat all of the aforementioned food.  😅
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Snow or no snow - it'll be all hot chocolate and warm soups in our house this weekend.  🍲 This chicken and vegetable soup is one of my new favorites.   I would call it a tortilla soup/vegetable soup fusion and it's delicious.  

Chicken and Vegetable Soup
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 large onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves chopped separately
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pound bone-in chicken thighs
2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced into 1/4" thick slices
12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1/2 cup queso fresco
​lime wedges

In blender, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro stems and garlic.  

Blend until smooth.

Heat oil in Dutch oven.  Add chicken, skin side down and cook until browned.

Transfer chicken to a plate.  Add the tomato mixture and cook 6-8 minutes. 

Stir in broth.  Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a simmer. 

Cover and cook 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove pot from heat.  Transfer chicken to a plate.

Combine rice and 2 1/4 cups broth in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer, cover cook 18 minutes. 

Shred the chicken.

Bring broth to a simmer.  Add zucchini and beans and cook 5 minutes. ​

Remove from heat.  Stir in chicken and half of the cilantro leaves. 

Fluff rice and divide among individual bowls. 

Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle the soup over rice. 

Top each bowl with avocado, cheese and remaining cilantro leaves.  Serve with lime wedges. 

Stay warm out there friends.  
​Ciao!

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