MEXICAN STYLE CHICKEN SOUP..Sopa de Pollo a la Mexicana..Great soup for cold weather

Makes 8-10 servings

1 x 4 pound frying chicken, remove as much skin as possible, and any loose visible fat.

OR 4 whole chicken legs

OR 1 cut up fryer..2 legs, 2 breast ribs attached

6 cups chicken stock or water
1 1/2 cups  1/4'd onion
5 stalks celery chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 x 15ozs canned chopped tomatoes
2 tsp crushed dried oregano
2 shakes hot sauce (optional)

2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini or Mexican white squash
1 cup defrosted frozen peas
1 cup defrosted frozen sweetcorn or 
1 can white hominy drained

 1 cup minced Cilantro

2 avocado, sliced ( optional)

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the chicken in the stock, with the 1/4'd onions, salt & pepper ( simmer for about 1 hour, until very tender).

Remove chicken from the broth and strain into another large pan, discarding the cooked onion.
Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the carrots, oregano,hot sauce and sliced onions, simmer covered until the carrots are tender.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle remove any skin and bones and chop the meat into bite sized pieces.
Add the chicken to  the broth along with the peas and sweetcorn..simmer for 15-20 mins.
test seasonings adding more salt & pepper
Just before serving add the minced cilantro and avocado slices

This is a beautiful soup..almost a meal in a bowl, with crunchy hot bread or  cheese-cornbread