At the beginning of the week I usually make something that has a good deal of leftovers so that we’re all stocked up for lunches for the week. I was thinking about chicken chili after seeing it on Carole’s blog and then here as well. Since I started with a whole chicken and wanted a fair amount of leftovers it morphed into more of a soup in my hands.

Mexicali Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken
2 carrots, cut in half
2 stalks celery, cut in half
1 large  sweet onion, quartered
salt, to taste
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
2 cups Jacob’s cattle beans

2 jalapenos, minced

1 red chili, minced

Place chicken, carrots, celery, and sweet onion in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt, reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 60 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool about 20 minutes so that you can handle the meat. Meanwhile, cook the beans in a pressure cooker at high pressure for 20 minutes then drain and set aside. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken discarding skin, bones and sinew. Remove and discard celery, carrot and some of the onion. Return chicken to the pot and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook a further 20 minutes or until the beans are soft. Serve topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped avocado and a squeeze of lime.