Chicken Soup w/ Rice & Garbanzos

I finally came around to making my family some good chicken soup.
 Hope you enjoy!
 I know some will ask or maybe not.. Why I used chicken breast??? Really want to know :) ... okay if I'm going to shred chicken, this is what I use 90% of the time. For the reason that I really dislike shredding the unpleasant parts of the chicken & I just don't want to deal with it! If you ask my mom, she'd use a leg, thigh, liver, breast, heart, back bone... pretty much the whole chicken.
Some people like the dark meat some don't. Let's remember that in my kitchen I make the rules & I will always alter recipes to my liking. Haha! Let's get started.

RECIPE:

3QT Pot

Enough water to fill the pot 3/4 of the way up

1 boneless chicken breast

1/4 onion

1 garlic

1 TB salt

1 can garbanzos (peeled)

2-3 handfuls of rice

For the tomato mixture(aka- the flavor): 3 roma tomatoes (chopped), 1/4 onion (chopped), 1 garlic (chopped) & 1 Tb chicken bouillon or one cube. Set aside.

Place chicken in a large pot of water, add 1/4 onion, 1 garlic & 1 Tb salt. Bring to a boil.

When it begins to boil & foam begins to accumulate, it must be removed.

In a small pan or sauce pot, saute your chopped onion & garlic until translucent. Add tomato and cook down. Season with chicken bouillon.

Smash until tomato is broken down. Turn heat off.

After 35-40 minutes the chicken breast should be cooked through. Take out & shred. At this point you should also discard the onion & garlic from the broth.

Drain & peel your garbanzos & throw into your broth,
grab 2-3 handfuls of rice & throw in.(wow... Manicure alert below! Sorry!)

 Please excuse my measuring technique for the rice.

Dump in your tomato mixture & stir to combine.(Taste for seasonings) 

Cover & cook for another 15 mins until rice is tender.

This made enough for 4 with seconds & some leftovers. 

Serve....

If you like the heat... chop some serrano peppers & add to your bowl! 

ENJOY!!

Easy Lentil Soup

Lentils pack great nutritional value & many health benefits... great for you & the whole family!

Store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. An additional tip: when my daughter was a baby, I stored lentil soup in mini glass containers in the freezer.. why?? Who has time to make something healthy 24/7 & it's a better option then store bought baby food. Below is my mom's recipe.

RECIPE:

2 Roma Tomatoes

1/4 chopped onion

1 minced garlic clove

1 cup of Dry Lentils

1 1/2 Tb of Salt 

Chop all ingredients...

Saute Garlic & Onion (2 mins.)

Add in chopped tomato & cook down until simmers..

Smash everything down with a potato smasher... Season with salt & add lentils..

Fill your pot 3/4 the way up.. Remember Lentils expand & absorb water..

Cook for 45 mins. on a low simmer..

Taste & maybe adjust seasonings.. add a splash of Lime juice!

ENJOY!