Sopa Ranchera, Southwest Chicken Soup

Southwest chicken soup with hominy and potatoes.

Sopa Ranchera, Southwest Chicken Soup

Sopa Ranchera, a Southwestern Chicken Soup is hearty and healthy with potatoes, savory with chicken breast and brimming with Southwestern spices. A flavorful bowl of Southwestern goodness for when you need a healthy clean-eating soup recipe.

Course Soup, Stews and Chilis

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 106kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

1 teaspoon oil olive, canola or vegetable oil
1 small sweet onion chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano dried
1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 Cups chicken stock
2 Cups Starchy water from cooked potatoes
2 medium Russet potatoes cubed and cooked, water reserved
1 15 ounce can Hominy drained
2 Cups boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded or cubed
1 Cup frozen sweet corn or 1-15 ounce ounce canned corn. Drained.
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 small zucchini quartered lengthwise and and cubed
1 15 /12 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
toppings:
sour cream
finely chopped onion
chopped fresh cilantro
shredded cheese
limes wedges
multi-colored tortilla strips

Instructions

In a saucepan, cover the cubed potatoes with salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving the starchy water to add to the chicken broth to make 6 cups liquid.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes.
Add oregano, cumin, and garlic powder and chile powder. Sauté until fragrant. About one minute.
Add cooked potatoes, 2 cups of the starchy cooking water, 4 cups chicken stock, cooked hominy, chicken, corn, kosher salt, canned tomatoes and zucchini; cook 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro; and cook 2 minutes.
Ladle soup into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Other great toppings are finely chopped raw onion, cilantro, shredded cheese and tortilla strips. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Tips For Success:

Potatoes: You can use other waxier potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes, but they won't leave as much starch in the cooking water. Russet Potatoes are the starchiest potatoes available and will provide flavor and slight thickening to the soup. If you use Yukon Gold or Red potatoes, you won't need to peel them. They have a thinner more delicate skin. Russet potatoes must be peeled.

Don't overcook the soup. Zucchini is a delicate vegetable. Once added the soup will only need to cook for a few minutes.

If using dried hominy or frozen posole, you must cook it before adding to this soup. Dried hominy will have to be soaked overnight and then cooked in enough liquid to cover for a couple of hours or until tender. Frozen posole doesn't need to be soaked overnight, but does require a 2-hour cooking time.

Nutrition