Digest Diet: Hearty Mexican Chicken Soup

By pavaldez

Ingredients

• 4 dried ancho chiles, wiped with a damp cloth
• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
• 1 can (15 oz) no-salt added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

Details

Servings 10
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

In a heatproof bowl, combine the chiles and water. Let soak about 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the chicken and simmer gently, covered until the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl with a slotted spoon and let cool; shred. Reserve broth.

Stem and seed the chiles and transfer to a blender. Add the reserved soaking liquid onion, garlic, oregano, and pepper. Puree until smooth.

In a 5-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers, then carefully add the chile puree (it will splatter) and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved broth, zucchini, and beans and simmer, covered, until the zucchini is tender about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, salt and lime juice and simmer, just until the chicken is heated, about 2 minutes. Top each serving with a generous teaspoon of pumpkin seeds.