tortilla soup with rice

Everyone’s busy right now, so I’ll keep it short. Here are three ways to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, broth, and even wild rice (or any rice): The soup pictured above is a spin on tortilla soup, with cooked rice and gabanzos subbed in for the fried tortillas. What you can do is swap out the chicken for turkey.

This noodle soup is a healthy cleanser; just add turkey meat and broth (or heck, don’t, and eat it vegetarian). And this classic is the soup I make every year; it’s old-school with mushrooms and cream and wild rice. Enjoy the leftovers, the best part of the holidays.

ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
1 canned chipotle in adobo*, chopped (or 2 teaspoons smoked pimenton “picante”)
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (from a purchased cooked chicken)
kosher salt
1 cup raw white rice
1 large avocado, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges

* don’t misread this as “1 whole can” chipotle in adobo…you only want to use one of these fiery little beasts from the can; fish it out with a fork with some of the sauce clinging to it. Freeze the remaining stuff in the can in a small plastic bag then slice off what you need in the future to thaw and use.

directions

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chopped cilantro, and chipotle and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broth, water, and garbanzo beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken at the end to heat it through. Season to taste with salt.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, bring 2 cups water to boil with a pinch of salt, stir in the rice, then cover and simmer until cooked, 18 to 20 minutes.

To serve, divide cooked rice among soup bowls. Ladle soup over rice and garnish with avocado and cilantro leaves; add a lime wedge to each bowl to squeeze over the soup.