TAXCO’S SOPA DE POLLO

1 3-pound whole chicken 2 onions, roughly

chopped, divided 3 cloves garlic, roughly

chopped

1 tablespoon chicken

soup base

3 ½ cups roughly chopped

Roma tomatoes 2 teaspoons tomato bouillon with chicken flavor

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups long-grain white

rice

Salt and pepper

1 diced avocado, for

garnish

½ cup diced tomato, for

garnish

½ cup diced onion, for

garnish

1 lime, quartered

Place chicken in a large saucepan or stockpot and add 12 cups water. Add 1 roughly chopped onion, garlic and chicken base and bring liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer at least

90 minutes, until meat is falling off the bone. Skim any foam from broth as it cooks.

Remove chicken, let cool and hand-shred the meat. Discard skin and bones. Taste broth for seasoning. Return chicken to broth and keep warm until needed for serving.

Heat oven to 500 degrees.

In the jar of a blender, combine tomatoes, remaining roughly chopped onion and tomato bouillon with chicken flavor. Puree until smooth.

In an oven-safe medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add rice and toast, stirring constantly, until rice is just about to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato puree and reduce heat so mixture is simmering. Cook, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Cover rice, turn oven off and put rice in oven to keep hot and allow flavors to develop, at least 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, put 1 cup rice in the bottom of each soup bowl. To each portion, add ¾ cup shredded chicken and top with avocado, diced tomato and diced onion. Add broth to cover rice and chicken and serve with a lime wedge. Serves 4.

Per serving: 741 calories (percent of calories from fat, 30), 49 grams protein, 81 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 25 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 99 milligrams cholesterol, 379 milligrams sodium.

CHRIS HUNT FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION Chicken and Rice Soup (garnished with avocado, chopped tomatoes and onions) from Taxco.