Necessity was the mother of invention for this recipe. We were on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, and I needed something easy to make for dinner in our tiny kitchen. These are the ingredients I found in the supermercado, and they added up to a wonderful Mexican soup! The second time I made it, I added leftover refried beans, and it still tasted muy delicioso.

When we got home, I checked online, and found that I’m not the first to have this idea. I guess lime, chicken, and rice just go really well together!

Los Cabos Chicken Soup

Serves 4

2 skinless chicken breasts or other parts
1 small onion, chopped
4 – 5 peeled garlic cloves
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
8 – 16 oz. tomato juice
3/4 C brown rice
3 C water
1 tomato, peeled & chopped
2 Tbsp. med. – hot fresh salsa
1 Tbsp. chicken stock base
Pepper to taste
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice

Put chicken, onion, whole garlic cloves, carrots, tomato juice, rice and water in large pot. Bring to low simmer, turn down heat all the way, cover, and barely simmer, covered, for another 45 minutes or until rice is done. (Boiling can make the chicken tough.)

Remove chicken pieces from soup, let cool somewhat, and remove meat from bones. Discard bones, shred meat, and return to soup. Mash garlic cloves in the broth. Add tomato, salsa and chicken stock base.

Cook 5 – 10 more minutes to reheat. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasonings and serve.