Chicken Tomatillo Soup

 

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~~~CHICKEN TOMATILLO SOUP~~~

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This is my own homemade tomatillo soup recipe.  Of course I was toying around one evening in the kitchen and remembered I just bought some delicious ripe tomatillos from Wegman’s.  It was a little nippy outside and a soup sounded perfect for the evening.   So of course, out came the tomatillo and then I had to decide what to make with it.  I knew I wanted enough protein and chose chicken to accompany the tomatillos.  Then I decided on the spices, the additional carbs to thicken it up and finally the accessory taste to kick it up a notch!

As a hybrid athlete I love to play around in the kitchen with whole foods to balance out my macros! Cooking should never be boring and it surely does not have to be plain rice, bland chicken and broccoli every day! BORING!  Changing it up in the kitchen keeps you interested and helps you to stay on point eating quality foods that not only nutritious for you, but also taste amazing! Preparing great meals in the kitchen and being able to pre-plan for the next day or days ahead also help to keep you on point, hence, less snacking or going off “the grid”.  This is a great meal to pack and take on the go too!  It heats up well and tastes yummy in a thermos too!

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A little background about the tomatillo!

The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica), also known as the Mexican husk tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name.

Tomatillos originated in Mexico and are a staple of Mexican cuisine, they are eaten raw or cooked in a variety of dishes.
In the United States, tomatillos are grown in California and Iowa

Tomatillos are a key ingredient in fresh and cooked Mexican and Central-American green sauces. The green color and tart flavor are the main culinary contributions of the fruit. Purple and red-ripening cultivars often have a slight sweetness, unlike the green- and yellow-ripening cultivars, and are therefore generally used in jams and preserves. Like their close relatives, cape gooseberries, tomatillos have a high pectin content. Another characteristic is they tend to have a varying degree of a sappy sticky coating, mostly when used on the green side out of the husk.

Ripe tomatillos keep refrigerated for about two weeks. They keep even longer with the husks removed and the fruit refrigerated in sealed plastic bags.  They may also be frozen whole or sliced. (source: wikipedia)

A Final Word of Caution: Nightshade vegetables tend to have high levels of alkaloids, which can exacerbate inflammation of the joints if you already have certain problems with arthritis or inflammation. However, tomatillos possess relatively low amounts of alkaloids. That being said, consult your doctor before adding tomatillos to your diet if you suffer from these types of health conditions. Other than that, add tomatillos to your diet and enjoy!
(source: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/tomatillo.html )

 

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~~INGREDIENTS~~

350mg raw tomatillo = 20gC
7 oz/2breasts of chicken sliced or cubed = 72gP
1 can black beans rinsed (optional) = 66gC, 24gP
100g onion chopped = 8gC
3 cloves garlic chopped
3 cups chicken stock = 3gP
2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) = 30gF (can reduce)
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
ground red pepper to taste
jalapenos (optional -2 seeded and minced)
lime juice to taste (i squeezed one small on) optional
sprigs of cilantro (optional)

~~INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE SOUP~~

1. Brown chicken about 2 min per side in 1Tbsp of EVOO, leave remaining oil and place chicken to the side.

2. Cube tomatillo and onion, chop cloves garlic, saute garlic cloves and onion and then add cubed tomatillo and broth (add jalapeno here too if you use) and bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 min.

 

3. Puree all ingredients in processor or mixer…i used my Vitamix, then place back on stove in same pan; taste soup and adjust spices as needed (salt, pepper, etc).

4. Add black beans (if using) and slices of chicken (or shredded) then simmer flavors together; adjust to taste.

5. Plate servings in a bowl per a person; yields 3 servings, serving size 1 cup of soup.

 

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~Ingredients~
350mg raw tomatillo = 20gC
7 oz/2breasts of chicken sliced or cubed = 72gP
1 can black beans rinsed (optional) = 66gC, 24gP
100g onion chopped = 8gC
3 cloves garlic chopped
3 cups chicken stock = 3gP
2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) = 30gF (can reduce)
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
ground red pepper to taste
jalapenos (optional -2 seeded and minced)
lime juice to taste (i squeezed one small on) optional
sprigs of cilantro (optional)

~Lisa’s Homemade Chicken Tomatillo Soup Recipe~
-brown chicken about 2 min per side in 1Tbsp of oil, leave remaining oil and place chicken to the side
-cube tomatillo and onion
-chop cloves garlic
-saute garlic cloves and onion
-then add cubed tomatillo and broth (add jalapeno here too if you use) and bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 min
-puree all ingredients in processor or mixer…i used my Vitamix, then place back on stove in same pan; taste soup and adjust spices as needed (salt, pepper, etc)
-add black beans (if using) and slices of chicken (or shredded)
-simmer flavor together and taste to adjust as needed
-plate soup in bowl; options: add cilantro on top for decoration or if macro allows a dollop of sour cream or créme fraîche

viola!!
Enjoy!

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~Macronutrients~
Whole soup recipe: 99gP  94gC  30gF
Yields 3 servings or 3 total cups
Macros per a  serving ~  33gP/31gC/10gF

This soup is a great option on a cold day or for post workout meal with higher carbs! Some additional options to think about!!  For low carbohydrate soup, remove black beans and then the total C (carbs) is 28g or about 9gC per cup of soup.  Or you can add more tomatillo and reduce the broth for a thicker soup (like pea soup) if your macros allow. Some other options are to add corn, other varieties of beans or add avocado… play around with it, have fun and make it your own! At times I am able to get all my macronutrients from 100% whole food ingredients, such as this one, and other times, I will supplement breakfasts and desserts with high grade protein powder! Be on the lookout for those upcoming amazing treats that are 100% on point and guilt free! Oh and did I mention, they taste super delicious too!

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What do you think of this recipe??? I’d love to hear from you!  Let me know how it goes in your kitchen and paste some photos of your experience! What did you do different to make it your own! Sharing our time in the kitchen is a great way to connect as we experiment! Leave me a reply below!

Would you make this?