Easy Tex-Mex Chicken Soup

Instructions

1. Bake Chicken: Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and pat dry chicken thighs with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper and rub with 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and roast skin side up
2. in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove, let cool, then peel chicken meat off bones. Chop meat into large bite size pieces. Reserve meat, skin and bones for the soup.
3. While chicken cooks, chop vegetables: bell peppers, onions, carrots, celery and jalepeno. Set each pile of vegetables separately on a piece of parchment or a paper plate for easy clean up.
4. Sauté Vegetables: In a large soup pot, heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the chicken broth and sauté the bell peppers with a little salt on medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove peppers and reserve. Sauté the onions in the same pot (with the chicken skin and bones if they are ready) with a little salt on medium heat for 10 minutes, then add in carrots, celery, jalepeno, a little more salt and broth. Sauté until slightly soft, about 10 more minutes.
5. For thicker soup, remove 2 cups (475 ml) vegetables and broth, puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.
6. Stir in remaining chicken broth, tomato sauce and cumin.
7. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Add in chicken meat. Simmer on very low heat, partially covered, another 30 minutes.
8. Just before serving: Remove skin and bones and add in chopped lightly sautéed, seasoned peppers.
9. Serve with cilantro or parsley sprigs and slices of lime.
10. Other optional add ins: shredded mild cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, avocado slices, hot sauce.