I stumbled into this recipe while looking for something else, tried it, and fell in love! Dan and I have had it a bunch of times since. It's so simple and yummy! I can't find the original, but I changed it so much that it doesn't really matter. Here's how I remember it:
Boil 1 whole chicken, let cool and remove meat.
OR
Fry up 1-2 lbs. lean ground beef with taco seasoning
1 T EVOO
1-2 onions
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3-4 carrots, chopped
2-3 bell peppers
chicken stock from recently boiled victim OR water and some bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
1 T. black pepper
1 T. chili powder
4-5 potatoes, chopped
1-2 small cans of beans (or use homemade like I did) - pinto, black, kidney, mix & match
1 18 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 small handful of fresh cilantro
1 can of corn
* In a large pot, heat oil and fry up onions, carrots, and bell peppers till beginning to soften (use any other veggies you'd like - these are just the cheapest, most accessible ones here).
* Add stock or water plus bouillon cubes (eye-ball it). Bring to a boil.
* Add spices, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cilantro, corn, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil again. Let simmer till thickens nicely.
* Serve with avocado, if you can (we can't get good ones here, so we just eat them with warm flour tortillas - chips are fattening and not any more enjoyable for us!).
NOTE: I always make a big pot of soup to chow on all weekend. It's also a hearty meal to serve to guests. So I always include the maximum of all these ingredients. Some leftover rice is used up well in this soup, as are cooked veggies of your choice, as long as you throw them in towards the end. A great way to use up all sorts of leftovers. Buen provecho!
