1medium zucchinicut in half lengthwise, then sliced into 1-inch chunks
1 ½cupscooked Mexican rice or white rice
Cilantro and lime wedgesfor serving
Instructions
Melt 1 tablespoon olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are beginning to soften; 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic, cumin, bay leaf, ½ teaspoon of black pepper and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken, corn, tomatoes (undrained), water and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Remove chicken and transfer to a cutting board. Add zucchini and continue to simmer, uncovered for 5-10 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Meanwhile, chop or shred the chicken and add back to the soup.
Remove from heat, and prepare to serve. Add about ¼ cup of cooked rice to each serving bowl, then ladle in soup. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges
Notes
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: I used boneless chicken, because it just cooks faster. This is where it gets a little controversial, because you can get a ton of flavor from simmering the bones. But, like I mentioned earlier, I was going for simplicity as well as flavor so I used boneless. You can also use boneless chicken breast, but you may want to use more broth than water.
Chicken broth + water: Because I used boneless chicken, I needed to richen the broth. I used half and half because cooking the chicken in the water and broth will add flavor but not quite enough. You could absolutely use bone-in chicken and then use just water if you want the most authentic flavor.