Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy
Light and refreshing do not always describe soup, am I right? However, Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy is exactly that! This makes for a perfect soup for warmer weather, especially paired with a salad. The perfect blend of Mexican spices pairs beautifully with the citrus tang of the lime and keeps you coming back for more. Need I say more? Nah, let’s make us some soup!
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Not Your Average “Chicken Tortilla Soup”
I love soups all year long. And it’s easy for me to eat soup in the summer because we keep the AC on and I am always freezing in our home while the rest of my family is basically half-naked trying to stay even cooler. But I admit, Summer is not always for clam chowder or potato soup. So we make brothy soups like vegetable or chicken tortilla. But this Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy hits the spot and is my favorite Summer soup!
This is basically a chicken tortilla soup, don’t get me wrong, but with enough lime juice added to pucker that part of your mouth that has been asleep for awhile and make it happy. It is not, however, “sour.” I am not always a fan of intense lime flavors, so don’t be afraid of this if you are the same. And you can always start with 1/4 cup lime juice and add more if you want.
Ingredients for Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy
This recipe is a breeze to make and made with simple ingredients. You can always add other things to it or flavors just like you can with any soup! That’s why I love a good pot of soup!
- Chicken: I typically use boneless, skinless chicken breasts to make things easy. But you can use any part you like! Put a whole chicken in there to simmer if you want to and have time! Then just pick the meat off and add it back into the pot.
- Chicken Stock: I always make soups with chicken stock instead of broth. I do this because stock has a much deeper flavor that is wonderful for a meal where that is the ingredient that shines.
- Onion: When I’m making soup, I like to use a large, yellow onion.
- Garlic: This soup has a heavy garlic base to it. I call for 4 garlic cloves, but if they are small or you just love garlic then add a few more!
- Jalapeno: I cannot handle spicy heat in foods! But I love the flavor of “spice” haha if that makes sense. The flavor without my mouth catching fire. So I put on latex gloves to cut and remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno. Otherwise, my hands burn from the oils in the pepper haha It’s that bad for me, yes. Feel free to add 2 or even a poblano if you have one would be tasty.
- Coconut Oil: I love using coconut oil in this recipe simply because it compliments the tropical flavors already in the soup. However, olive oil or butter would be fine to saute the veggies in!
- Lime Juice: Yes, you can buy a bag of limes and juice them, but I sometimes have bad luck with getting dry limes so I keep a bottle on hand and make different things from it. I will say that not all bottled lime juice is created equal, though. The one I use is Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice. You should be able to find it at any grocery store. It has a great, fresh lime taste without being very acidic. No, I don’t get anything from mentioning this brand, I just like it haha.
- Spices: Typical spices: cumin, coriander, oregano, salt to taste. The only wild card is cinnamon. The soup won’t taste like Christmas just because we add cinnamon, but it adds a secret depth that you will enjoy!
- Tomatoes and Green Chiles: This step makes for an easy meal. You can add tomatoes and more peppers from your garden but I like the ease of this. The cans usually come in “original” or “mild” heat levels and I like the mild in this soup.
- Hominy: Traditional chicken and lime soups that you will see do not have hominy in them. They on occasion will include white beans. You can leave the hominy out or just use white beans. I love the texture of hominy! It is slightly more dense than beans so it makes a heartier soup. And I don’t use it in anything other than white chilis and tortilla soups like this. So give it a try!
Toppings for Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy
Why would ever try to eat this without tortilla chips crumbled in it? If you are that kind of psycho then I don’t want you reading my blog. Be gone with you.
But, put out some hot sauce or green salsa even so everyone can get fancy with their own bowl of soup. We of course looooove cheese! With this being a “white” style of soup, Monterey cheese goes well with it. Also, slice up an avocado and top a bowl with that! Maybe you don’t want hominy or beans in the recipe, but you want to grill some corn on the cob and cut off some fresh grilled corn to top the soup with. Just sit back and meditate on the possibilities and see how your creative mind still lives buried within you. But don’t get too carried away. Suppress it within reason and enjoy.
Enjoy
I was seriously surprised when I tried Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy because I loved it so much! I hope you make this and enjoy it as much as we do!
Chicken and Lime Soup with Hominy
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1 large Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Jalepeno seeds removed, diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves Diced
- 1-1.5 lbs Chicken Breast use more meat for meatier soup. Can use any meat from a chicken or even simmer a whole chicken!
- 1/3 Cup Lime Juice
- 6 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 10 oz Can Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- 1 can White Hominy
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 3 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Coriander
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Salt add extra to taste
Instructions
- Over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil and add the onion to saute until translucent.
- Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute for another minute.
- Add the spices and stir continuously for another 30 seconds to sweat the spices, then add the can of tomatoes and chiles, stock, and chicken.
- Turn the heat up to high, and once the soup is boiling, turn it down to medium to simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Meanwhile, add the lime juice and hominy to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and check the seasonings. Add more seasoning if desired.
- Top with tortilla chips, avocado, or cheese!