Holy Moly Chicken Pasole: Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens by Jennifer Schaertl

As Jennifer Schaertl likes to say, “just because you cook in a crappy little kitchen does not justify a crappy meal!”

In her book, she tackles the myths about gourmet cooking and shows home cooks how to make fun and delectable meals despite the lack of counter space and high-tech, expensive appliances, and gadgets. GOURMET MEALS IN CRAPPY LITTLE KITCHENS offers practical hints and tips that help make the most of any crappy little kitchen.

Check out this fun recipe!

Holy Moly Chicken Pasole
Makes 2.5 Quarts

A gourmet version of tortilla soup, this rustic version is actually thickened with finely diced pieces of corn tortilla that break down as the stew simmers. It’s also a great way to utilize leftover chicken, which makes it a standard on my rotation of Soupe du Jour in my restaurant. There’s always leftover chicken laying around!

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded off the bone
8 c chicken stock
1 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic
1 green bell, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
½ c tomato puree
1 large tomato, diced
1 T oregano
5 corn tortilla finely minced
½ tsp red pepper
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
½ c cilantro, chopped

In a large stock pot over a medium-high heat, bring the shredded chicken, stock, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add all of the other ingredients except for salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Once the tortilla has begun to break down and thicken the stew (about 30 minutes), season to your tastes with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Available at Amazon.com