snowed in with snuffles (guatemalan chicken soup)

what to do when your children have colds and the world turns into 8 inches of slushy snow and the schools are closed? make guatemalan chicken stew. a cure-all for even the most stubborn snuffle.

food is powerful medicine. guatemalan chicken stew has nearly every vegetable in the world in there (ok, not really, but when you are chopping, it seems like it). it also has lemon, tomato and cilantro and chile heat if you choose.

guatemalan chicken stew

ingredients

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, smashed

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 butternut squash, peeled, cubed

2 potatoes, peeled, chopped

3 tomatoes, seeded, chopped

1 red pepper, seeded, membrane removed, chopped

2 zucchini, sliced and quartered

green beans, sliced into 1 inch lengths

3 ears of corn, cut into 4 slices each (or if it is winter, 1 bag frozen sweet corn)

2 chicken breasts

1/2 cup of long grain brown rice

chiles (optional and to taste)

6 cups chicken stock

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 large bunch cilantro, stems minced and leaves reserved

2 lemons, juiced

okay. it is a lot of chopping. you may use every cutting board in your house. but so worth it. i made this yesterday and am feeling better already. this makes lots of stew, plenty to last 3 days.

saute onion celery and garlic for 4 minutes in about a tablespoon of olive oil. add the 1/2 cup of long grain brown rice. stir around until rice is coated for a minute or two. add chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. once boilage is achieved, add potatoes and butternut squash, minced cilantro stems and whole chicken breasts. let cook for 25 minutes at a nice simmer. keep covered so the rice doesn't eat up all the liquid and chicken poaches thoroughly. when potatoes and squash are tender and rice and chicken are cooked, add pepper, zucchini, fresh tomatoes, chiles (if using) and corn on the cob (if using frozen corn, do not add yet). simmer another 10 minutes until fresh veg are tender. remove chicken breasts from the stew, shred chicken meat into bite sized pieces, return meat to stew. (if using frozen corn, add it now) add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper if you like, juice from two lemons or limes. serve in bowls. garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and lemon or lime wedges. heal thyself.