Chicken Soup with Full Plate Thursday

What do you call the last day of the week before you go grocery shopping?  When the cupboards are near bare and there are random wilted vegetables left in the bottom of the fridge?  We call it Russian Monday's because, "Everything Must Go"...get it? "Everything Moscow"....yah- nerdy joke, but true all the same.  We go to the market every Tuesday and so come Monday we either have next to nothing left or lots of random leftovers.  Either way, the last remaining stranded fruits and veggies need to get gone for the new supply coming in.

Do you ever open the fridge or the cupboard and feel like her?

Today I grabbed all the remaining vegetables hacked them into pieces and threw them into a pot with some chicken.  I learned this general idea from a friend of mine who was not a huge fan of prep time in the kitchen.  They would just snap the vegetables into pieces with their hands and toss them into the pot.  And the flavor was ridiculous!  My Grandpa calls it Stone Soup... whatever you call it; it's dinner tonight!

Here is the real recipe and if you have the extra time we would encourage you to practice your knife skills. Cut diamond shapes in the carrots, Brunoise the potatoes... It is always good to practice when you can.


Rugged Chicken Vegetable Soup
Serves 4 hearty bowls
Ingredients:
4 pieces Chicken legs or thighs
1 Zucchini
1 Chayote Squash
1 Corn
2 Carrots
1 Potatoe
Handful of Rice
1 Onion
1 Clove of Garlic
Small Handful of Cilantro Tops
1 cube or 1 Tbsp Chicken Bullion


For Service:
Chopped Cilantro
Lime
Avocado
Warm Tortillas


Directions:
Slice the Zucchini and set it aside.
Chop the remaining vegetables and break the corn into half or quarters.  Toss everything into the pot with lots of water.  Simmer away for 30-45min. 
Toss the zucchini into the pot and simmer for another 10-15min.
Serve with chopped cilantro, lime, avocado and tortillas.


***Other fun things to add:  Mushrooms, Chilies, Bell pepper, spices...whatever is left in the fridge ;)

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN SOUP???