Have you noticed that although the weather in North Texas has been very Bipolar of late, we only get the cold and dreary stuff on the weekends? I’m all stuck inside working while it’s bright and sunny and warm and then the weekend comes and I can’t bring myself to get out of bed because the weather is so disappointing. So to cheer myself up, I decided to make Caldo de Pollo. That’s chicken soup, Mexican Style.
My first order of business was to call all my relatives to find out how they make Mexican Rice, since I’d never made it before (or even Chicken Soup for that matter). My cousin Feliz had a completely different way of making it than my sister. My cousin Yvette didn’t call me back (she hates sharing her recipes because they are the best) but I have eaten her rice and watched her make it in the rice cooker once before. After heavy consultation, I did what I always do and take the best ideas from every one else and make it my own way.
I decided to make the rice and the chicken soup separately and then add them together when I served it up. I used boneless skinless chicken tenderloins instead of a whole chicken since I don’t like bones or skin or dark meat. I put quite a bit of low sodium, fat free chicken broth in my crock pot, added the chicken tenderloins and cranked that baby up. Now it’s time for the rice.
I used brown rice, which was the first departure from tradition. I browned it with some onions and garlic in a skillet. Then I dumped it unceremoniously in the rice cooker and added a can of Rotel with cilantro. That was the second departure from tradition. Most people I know use tomato paste or tomato sauce. I also know a lot of people who add peas and carrots to their rice, but I’ve never like it that way. Instead of water I cooked the rice with more chicken broth.
I did chop up carrots and celery and add that to the chicken and broth fiesta in the crock pot. After a while there was a chicken-y scum floating on the top, but I was too lazy to skim it or strain it. Hey, I’m an amateur!
No, I didn’t forget to list the spices. I didn’t add any. I left that up to the can of Rotel and the natural yumminess of the ingredients I was using.
After everything cooked up to perfection (I mean I went to the gym, had a shower and was now ready for my lunch which was bubbling up nicely in the crock pot all morning) I served myself a half a cup of rice and a cup of chicken soup on top. YUM!