Chili Lime Chicken and Rice Soup
Bright and zesty but still cozy, this Chili Lime Chicken and Rice Soup is made with fresh chilies and lime and is full of spice and citrus flavors.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 569kcal
Equipment
- Butcher's twine, optional
Ingredients
- 5-6 green chili peppers of choice, such as Cubanelle or poblano (mild), Anaheim (medium), jalapeños or hatch chilies (hot) (see Note 1)
- 3 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 2 chicken breasts (or 3-4 chicken thighs)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
- 1 ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white rice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Zest of 2 limes (about 1 tbsp)
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 small bunch cilantro stems, optionally tied with butcher's twine (see Note 2)
- Juice of 2-3 limes (about ⅓-½ cup; see Note 3)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
To Garnish (optional)
- Queso fresco, crumbled (see Note 4)
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the chilies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp of avocado oil
- Broil for 8-10 minutes or until charred and blistered
- Using tongs or a fork, transfer the broiled peppers to a heat-proof bowl, cover with a plate or plastic wrap and set aside to steam and cool
- Once the chilies are cooled, peel and dice them
- Season the chicken on both sides with the paprika, garlic powder and ½ tsp each salt and pepper
- Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp of avocado oil
- Add the chicken breast and sear on each side for 1 minute, then cover and reduce heat to medium low
- Cook for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through then remove from the pot and set aside
- To the same pot, add the remaining tbsp of oil then add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, seasoning with salt
- Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute
- Add the rice to the pot along with the chopped chilies, 1 tsp black pepper and the oregano then toast for 2-3 minutes until golden
- Add the lime zest, chicken broth and cilantro stems; bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low
- Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until rice is cooked through then remove the cilantro stems
- Shred the cooled chicken with a fork or hand mixer then return to the pot
- Remove from heat then stir in lime juice and cilantro and season with salt to taste (start with ⅓ cup then taste and add more if you want)
- Serve topped with queso fresco and more cilantro
Notes
Note 1: Use a mix of whatever green chilies you prefer, or whatever you can find. I like to use mostly spicy chilies, but this soup is great with mild peppers as well. If you like heat, use spicier chilies and if you don’t, just use milder ones.
Note 2: Tying the stems with twine is totally optional, but makes it easier to remove them from the soup later on.
Note 3: I like a lot of lime flavor in my soup, so I use ½ cup of lime juice. Start with ⅓ cup then taste and add more if you'd like.
Note 4: If you can't find queso fresco, or don't have it on hand, you can use cotija, feta or any other cheese you prefer.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1567mg | Potassium: 1034mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1336IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg