in my kitchen | chicken, hominy, and black bean soup

i really love soup and i really love it for a few reasons: it can be made ahead of time, it just gets better as it sits in the fridge overnight (hellooooo lunch for the week!), and it's almost impossible to fuck up soup. 

while soup delivers nowhere near the level of satisfaction that tacos do in our home, the flavors of this soup do not disappoint. plus, it's really easy to make for a weeknight dinner. my brother-in-law is staying with us this week so i just set up a little soup bar so we can garnish our soups however we like. it's all about the presentation, you know. 

also, one pot meals for. the. win.  

chicken, hominy, and black bean tortilla soup

what:

five-six chicken thighs*

one can black beans, drained and rinsed

one 10oz bag frozen corn, thawed. 

one can hominy in water

four cups low-sodium chicken stock

one- 28oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes**

one medium yellow onion, diced

two tbsp olive oil (no need for extra virgin since you're cooking with it)

two cloves fresh garlic, minced (or one tbsp of the jarred stuff)

juice of one lime

handful of cilantro, chopped

one tbsp cumin

one tbsp chili powder

one tsp coriander

two dried bay leaves

a pinch (or more) of red pepper flakes, cayenne, or st. lucifer spice blend

sea salt (i used about 1.5 tbsp of salt. if using regular stock, you'll need less)

black pepper

for serving:

sour cream

diced red onion

chopped cilantro

shredded pepper jack cheese

lime wedges

diced avocado

crumbled tortilla chips

*you can use chicken breasts if you prefer. however, i like cooking with chicken thighs because they tend to be cheaper and they cook faster than breasts to. but, to each their own.

**you can use diced tomatoes with chiles. if marlo hadn't been joining us for dinner, i would have, too.  

how:

in a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili powder. brown the chicken on both sides (about three minutes each side) and remove from the pot and set aside.

add a little more oil to the pot and add the onions and garlic. sauté until softened. next, add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne or chili flakes. let cook for one or two minutes. next, add the can of diced tomatoes and chicken stock. add the chicken back into the pot and any drippings that have accumulated on the plate (yum). bring to a simmer. reduce to medium-low, partially cover, and cook for about twenty minutes.

remove the chicken thighs from the pot and place onto a cutting board or plate. with two forks, shred the thighs apart or you can chop with a knife, depending on your preference of texture (i like shredded). add back to the pot. reduce the heat to low. next, add the rinsed black beans, bag of corn, and can of hominy, including the liquid. add the juice of one lime and salt and pepper to taste. finally, add half of the chopped cilantro. stir a few times to combine well. 

oh, and remove the bay leaves. they're not edible.

set out a little soup bar and let your dinner companions serve themselves. 

worth noting that this soup is- as is all mexican food- best served with a cold corona and lime.