Baby, it’s cold outside!

It’s my first winter residing full time in Seattle since 2007. I’m digging the change in weather, relishing the crisp, fresh air and the need to wear scarves beyond SoCal Winter Fashion. It’s soup season – a time of year I largely abandoned in my years in San Diego. Now that I have my ultra-nifty-super-incredible crock pot/slow cooker Multi-tasking Machine of Doom I am playing with throwing everything in the pot and stepping away.

The night I made this I was exhausted and suffering from low blood sugar. This is a nightmare position to be in when you are wanting to stick to any dietary plan because your biology will want to take over and force you to call in a pizza or chinese food. To make this meal as quick as possible, I used a rotisserie chicken and my pressure cooker setting. Dinner in 20 minutes? HELL YES. Take that, Domino’s!

Caldo De Pollo

• 1 rotisserie chicken – skin removed
• 1 qt. chicken broth or bone broth
• 5 carrots, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 pound tomatoes, diced (use bottled or aseptic packaged rather than canned, if not using fresh)
• 1 cup Salsa Verde/Tomatillo Salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• cilantro and fresh lime for garnish

Peel the meat from the rotisserie chicken and set aside. The skin and bones can be saved for bone broth, which is highly nutritional and very easy to make. Grab your Instant Pot and add the broth, chicken meat, diced veggies and seasonings. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes and serve, topping with diced, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE:

Mix chicken, carrots, onion, tomatoes, salsa verde, pepper, salt, cumin, oregano, paprika, and garlic together. Pour into a Gallon Freezer and freeze for up to 3 months, removing extra air from the bag as you seal it.

TO COOK:

Remove chicken from bag and place into pressure cooker. Add 1 quart of chicken broth. Attach lid and set to manual for 20 minutes on high pressure. Serve with fresh lime and diced cilantro.

Stovetop: Remove chicken from bag and to a stock pot with one quart of chicken broth. Cook for 30 minutes, or until onions and carrots are cooked through.