Brazilian Chicken Soup

With the leaves changing to vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows there also comes a chilly threat of winter. The crisp autumn air reminds me that it is officially soup season! I love the way a bowl of hot soup warms you from the inside out. It comforts the soul. I truly believe a hearty, delicious bowl of soup and a steaming cup of tea help us who live in the Midwest survive our bitterly cold weather-- at least they make a big difference for me. Expect many more comforting soup and stew recipes to come.

I found this Brazilian Chicken soup recipe in my trusty Soup's On cookbook. It appealed to me because you cook a half of a chicken in water which creates its own broth. Then you pull the moist chicken meat off and put it directly into the soup. Because the Marinade Express process removes impurities from the chicken, the broth will not require skimming to remove the impurities that usually form as a scum in soup broth. The broth is subtly flavored; I added some extra spices to bump up the flavor complex. The carrots are a great way to make this soup a meal in one.

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Brazilian Chicken Soup Adapted from Soup's On cookbook (6 servings):

Ingredients:

Half of a 3 to 4 pound chicken
Santa Fe MX Seasoning mix
4 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 sprig fresh parsley, minced
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Directions:
1. Process the whole chicken in the Marinade Express for 15 minutes with the Santa Fe Salsa Mx Seasoning.
2. Reserve 1/2 of the chicken for another use and place the other 1/2 into a large stock pot with the bay leaves, tomatoes, onion, celery, and parsley. Add 2 quarts (8 cups) water, cover with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the broth is flavorful, about 1 hour. Remove the soup form the heat.
3. Remove the chicken from the stock and let it cool. When it is cool enough to handle, use a fork to pull the meat from the bones. Set the meat aside and discard the skin. I put the bones in a freezer bag to save for another soup later.
4. Put the stock and vegetables through a food mill (or use an immersion blender) to create a thick chicken stock.
5. Return the stock to the pot, add the carrots, rice, salt & pepper, cumin, curry, and smoked paprika and 2 cups water to the pot. Cook on medium heat, reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, until rice is tender. Add the chicken in for the last 10 minutes to heat. Serve hot and enjoy.