Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Smoky Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder with Salsa Salad

I enjoyed this Rachel Ray recipe a lot more than the last one I tried. It was flavorful and yummy. Be forewarned, though, the soup is on the spicy side! Those chipotle chilies in adobo sauce are mighty spicy!

The food didn't photograph very well (with my limited skills and basic camera anyway), but it was definitely tasty. My favorite was the soup, but to my surprise, James really loved the salad! Well, he ate a bunch of avocado from it anyway. ;)

Here are the two recipes:

Smoky Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped (these come in a can in the Mexican food section of the store)
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cumin (wow, I totally left this out last night...I was having a very clumsy pregnant-brain night)
salt and pepper
tortilla chips (enough for 1 c. finely crushed crumbs and some more for serving)
1 quart chicken broth (or stock)
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
20 oz. frozen corn
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped


Directions:
Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the onions, celery, garlic, chipotle chili, celery, coriander, cumin, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions start to become tender.

Meanwhile, crush enough tortilla chips to make 1 c. crumbs. You can do this either in a food processor or by hand in a ziploc bag. Add the chips and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add chicken and corn and continue to cook until chicken is done (about 5 minutes). At this point, simmer on medium-low heat until you are ready to serve. If the soup is too thick add more broth, and if it's too thin, keep simmering until it reduces to your liking. Stir in parsley before serving. Serve with Salsa salad and tortilla chips.

Salsa Salad
Ingredients:
juice of 2 limes
1 T. dijon mustard
3 T. olive oil
2 ripe avocados
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped


Directions:
In a small bowl, combine lime juice and mustard with a wire whisk. Gently whisk in the olive oil. Set dressing aside. Slice the avocados and cut the grape tomatoes in half. Place them in a large bowl. Add the lettuce, cilantro, and red onions. Toss salad with dressing and serve.


I think I may top the soup with a dollop of sour cream in the future to offset the spiciness. It was a little too much for me otherwise. Like I said, though, the soup was very tasty. Also, the salad dressing is rather strong, so you may want to taste it before pouring it all on the salad. I probably would have used a little less of it if I had tasted it first.

Enjoy!

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