Holy Moly Chicken Pasole

In the June issue of Today’s Diet & Nutrition, we profiled Jennifer Schaertl, author of Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens. All this week we feature more great dishes from the book.

Makes 2.5 quarts

A gourmet version of tortilla soup, this rustic version is actually thickened with finely diced pieces of corn tortilla that break down as the stew simmers. It’s also a great way to utilize leftover chicken, which makes it a standard on my rotation of Soupe du Jour in my restaurant. There’s always leftover chicken laying around!

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded off the bone
8 c chicken stock
1 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic
1 green bell, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1/2 c tomato purée
1 large tomato, diced
1 T oregano
5 corn tortilla finely minced
1/2 tsp red pepper
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 c cilantro, chopped

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, bring the shredded chicken, stock, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add all of the other ingredients except for salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Once the tortilla has begun to break down and thicken the stew (about 30 minutes), season to your taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

TD&N Nutrient Analysis for ten 1-cup servings (using low-fat chicken stock): Calories: 272; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Sodium: 440 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Fiber: 2 g; Protein: 22 g

Recipe by Jennifer Schaertl, author of Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens (HCI Books), www.crappylittlekitchens.com