Thai Chicken and Rice Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• SERVES 2-3 as the Main Entree OR 4-6 as an Appetizer
• 6 cups good-tasting chicken stock
• 1/2 to 1 cup sliced or shredded leftover roast chicken or turkey, OR 1-2 raw chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, left whole (fresh or frozen - available at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger, grated (or galangal, if available)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
• 1 cup oyster mushrooms, left whole unless very large (or substitute shiitake or regular button mushrooms)
• 3/4 to 1 cup cooked Thai rice (or substitute other type of rice) - if using uncooked, see note below recipe
• 1/2 cup (canned) mini corn cobs, sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (canned) bamboo shoots
• 1-2 whole red chilies (this will make a mild soup with a hint of spice. If you want your soup spicy, mince the chili)
• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• juice of 1 lime (a little less than 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 can coconut milk (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 spring (green) onions, sliced
• handful of fresh coriander to serve
• optional: Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce (see below for homemade recipe)

Preparation:

1. Heat the chicken stock plus kaffir lime leaves in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until boiling.
2. Add the cooked or raw chicken. If using cooked chicken, add some bones to the soup as well, if you have them (this will make for a richer, healthier soup). Now proceed to the next step. If chicken is uncooked, boil it in the stock (with lime leaves) for 5-6 minutes with the lid on or just slightly askew.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, celery, and mushrooms. Stir and turn down the heat to medium, gently boiling for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps with your fingers as you do so. Stir well. Tip: if you're planning to eat the soup right away, add up to 1 cup of rice. If you're making the soup ahead of time, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup, as the rice will expand the longer it sits, making the soup quite thick. Make Ahead Tip: Make the soup, but leave the rice out until just before serving.
5. Add the mini corn cobs, bamboo shoots, and chili. Turn down the heat, allowing soup to gently simmer 1 minute.
6. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, plus coconut milk and sugar, stirring well to incorporate.
7. Do a taste-test. The saltiness of your soup will depend on how salty your stock was to start with. Add up to 1 more Tbsp. fish sauce if not salty enough. If too salty, add another squeeze or two of lime juice. If you'd like even more flavor, trying adding a dollop or two of either store-bought or my own homemade Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce (optional).
8. Finally, add the spring onions, allowing them to float around the top of the soup without stirring them in.
9. Portion the soup out into bowls, top with a sprinkling of fresh coriander, and serve immediately.

• If You Don't Have Pre-Cooked Rice: Start with 1 cup extra stock (so 7 cups instead of 6 in your soup pot). Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup uncooked white rice (brown rice will use up twice the stock and take twice as long to cook). Allow it to gently boil in the stock with the lid on or slightly askew for 15-20 minutes, then continue with the recipe as is.
• A Tip about Leftovers: As mentioned, this soup will thicken with time, so it's best to eat it up in one sitting. However, if you do have leftovers, you may want to add some more chicken stock when you re-heat, OR (if you have time) a combination of chicken stock, lime juice, fish sauce, and coconut milk. ENJOY!