Mexican chicken soup with red rice. (low fat, high calcium)

By
Deecoleman
on February 20, 2011

Slow cooked dishes feel so nurturing and it begins from the minute you decide you are going to cook it to the moment you plate it up. Which for me is usually all day. I wanted to make a chicken soup using the whole chicken so the minerals on the bones would soak into the soup. It is the absolute best way to digest calcium which is exceptional for a healthy nervous system. The addition of red rice adds to the delicacy of this dish.

Method

In a large bowl soak the chilies in half a litre of water for at least an hour.

Chop the onions and garlic roughly and fry in a deep pot with just a bit of oil. There will be so much fat coming from the chicken so lay off too much oil at the beginning.

Wash the chicken under some cold water and remember to thank it for its life and the nutrition it is just about to give you.
Place the chicken in the pan and brown on both sides for a few minutes. Pour the water from the dried chilies through a strainer to almost cover the chicken. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 20 minutes then turn the chicken over.

Place the chilies and the whole bunch of coriander (reserve some leaves for garnish) including the stalks in a blender and pour over the chicken. Simmer for a further 45 minutes to an hour. When the chicken skin is falling off, turn off the heat and begin to de-bone the bird. It can get a bit finicky but now is the time to be patient. Pull off the bones and the skin making sure you get all the small pieces.

What you will have left is a beautiful dark delicate soup, but probably with a really big layer of fat on the top. If you don't mind this and it is the middle of winter serve it like so, but if you don't want to eat it grab a lettuce or whatever green leaves you have in the fridge, today I used the tops of beetroot. Immerse each leaf into the top of the soup and the fat will stick to the leaves, repeat until all the fat has gone.

Serve with red rice and a big dollop of the yoghurt. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Rica!