Coconut Chicken Soup

Once winter hits in Michigan my go-to activity of playing outside all the time is ruined. My sister, Mara, made this for Charlie-girl last year and it's one of the things that is fun for her to play with in the winter so she doesn't always rearrange my tree. It is a felt Christmas tree with felt ornaments, no other things needed- the felt sticks to the felt and she can re-do it as many times as she wants, sorting by color on the tree is a favorite activity. She is also a big fan of plastic beads... she "cooks" with them, sorts them, puts them on pipe cleaner, etc. Best few dollars I have spent in a while- although she did put one up her nose once at 6am that took me a half hour to get out and I was late for work- that was not fun. Other favorite, non-electronic toys include mega-blocks (big legos basically), puzzles, and getting into every drawer and cupboard in my house.  My goal this year is to have more activities for us to do at home through the winter- although I am usually so tired a movie and cuddling sounds perfect. :) 

I made this soup after a craving for chicken chili... it turned out not even close to chicken chili but was tasty none the less... and really easy. The spicy-ness gets calmed down by the coconut milk if that was a concern for you. It was a great lunch for me all week- light and warming. 

Coconut Chicken Soup

(Printable Version)

- 1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (about 1 lb)
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Jalapeno, or 4-oz can of green chilies
- 1 Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne
- 3 Cups Low-sodium Chicken Stock
- 1 14-oz Can Coconut Milk

1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno and saute another few minutes.

2. Add the spices, cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the stock and and chicken, raise the heat until the soup is at a simmer, and cook 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the coconut milk, stir. Taste to see if it needs salt. All done! I topped mine with cilantro- but avocado would be awesome too!