Hot and sour chicken, cabbage, and rice soup

We finally got our first real snow of the season here in western NY. It's crazy that it's a couple of weeks into January and we hadn't really had any measurable snow here yet. 

 

Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase an item from these links, a small percentage goes to support the work of this blog. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

It's very unusual and just didn't feel like winter. Now that we have a nice white covering, I'm officially into comfort food mode. For me, that includes a lot of soup. This soup was inspired by a recipe I read recently on The Kitchn. 

 

I read it and couldn't believe the amount of jalapeno, fresh ginger and garlic that were in this soup. I knew that my husband, who is a big fan of spice and heat, would be able to handle it like nothing....but I wasn't so sure about me with the heat. I did cut back a little...

I loved it (sure, it made me cough a little when all those pungent ingredients hit the heat!). When I ate it, the ginger hit me in the back of the throat and it did clear up my nose a little bit, but it was a good heat. It was warming and spicy and delicious - perfect for a winter evening. 

 

I would highly recommend it if you or a loved one has a cold or is stuffed up. If you are not a big fan of heat, you may want to cut down on the jalapeno or ginger. This is a very versatile recipe. Y

 

ou could cut out the chicken and add more mushrooms and other veggies for a vegetarian version. You could substitute rice noodles or soba noodles for the rice. Whatever you like. It's great to make if you have some leftover chicken. Plus, I am always looking for new ways to incorporate cabbage into our diet. This recipe will make about six servings. 

Hot and sour chicken, cabbage, and rice soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced, greens and whites separated

about 4-6 oz, shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced

pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

6 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

1-2 inches of fresh ginger root, grated

2 jalapenos (remove seeds and pith for less heat), finely minced

8 cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable)

zest and juice of 3 limes

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

about 1 lb cooked and shredded chicken (dark or light meat)

1/2 cup jasmine rice (or other long grain rice)

1/2 head green cabbage, halved and thinly sliced

In a large soup or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and mushrooms. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes, then stir and let the mushrooms brown on the other side. Add a pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper along with the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Stir well and let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Add in the lime zest and soy sauce. Then add the chicken and rice. Stir well and let the soup come up to a boil. Stir and add the cabbage and lime juice. Let the soup come back up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer until the rice is cooked and the cabbage is soft. Stir in the scallion greens.

Serve hot with extra lime wedges and soy sauce, if desired. Also, make sure you have a napkin in case your nose begins to run a little!