Chupe de Pollo con Chipotle

Yesterday was the last day of school for the semester. Thank. Goodness. I have been looking forward to this break for a while, and am so happy that I will soon be free of work and school for a few weeks. I have nothing on the agenda except for practicing, a few crafty things, and cooking and baking. LOTS of baking actually, so stay tuned! What are your favorite things to bake during the holidays?

Though I'm not on Christmas break yet (I have a paper and a project due, as well as a few other smaller assignments), I did want to devote some time to cooking today. I have eaten out way too much this week, because I did not prepare for such a hectic schedule! 

I made this soup when we were in China, and have been aching to make it for the longest time. It's incredibly hearty, and full of wonderful flavor, that really comes together at the very end. It isn't a great recipe for a weeknight meal, as it can be a little time consuming, but is worth the effort. Honestly, for me, It felt very therapeutic to chop and stir, and enjoy a little down time at home. 

P.S. the soup looks a little Christmas-y with all the red and green, right? :)    

Ingredients

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cups onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregeno

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cloves garlic, crushed

6 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 (15.5 oz.) can white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup whipping cream (I used milk, and it was fine, though I think I prefer it with cream)

1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 lime wedges

Directions

Remove 1 chile and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can. Finely chop chile; set chile and sauce aside separately.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped chile, onion, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic). Cook 7 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, and bring to a boil. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon, and cool slightly. Shred chicken with 2 forks or pull apart by hand; cover and keep warm.

Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Place one-third of broth mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed broth mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure in two more batches with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed broth mixture to pan. Stir in potatoes and hominy, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in chicken and cream; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in reserved adobo sauce, tomato, cilantro, and salt. Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Source: adapted from Cooking Light