Spicy Tomatillo & Chicken Soup

You know you've seen them at the market, those mysterious little green tomato looking things, neatly wrapped in a paper like husk. You've probably passed them by, without the slightest clue of what to do with them. Well here, let me solve that problem for you!

Unlike its cousin, the tomato, tomatillo do not contain lycopene (it should also be noted that tomatillo are actually berries!). However to make up for this, it is packed with another lesser known phyto-chemical called withanolide, which has shown to be a promising anti-tumor agent. They are also good source of copper, iron, phosphorous, manganese, and other minerals.

Ingredients:

2 slices of nitrite free bacon, cut into pieces

1/5 sweet onion, chopped

2 jalapenos, choped

2 additional jalapenos with slits cut into the sides

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cubanelle pepper, chopped

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

2 t paprika

6-8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed and quartered

1 green onion, sliced

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

2 chicken breasts, precooked and cut into pieces

4 cups chicken broth (home made preferable)

1 avocado

Salt to taste

Method.

Brown the bacon in a deep pot until it starts to render its fat. Add onions, garlic, peppers and spices and stir until the onions begin to become translucent.

Add tomatillos and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer gently for about an hour.

Remove the whole jalapenos, then break down the veggies in the pot with a hand emulsifier, or you can press the tomatillos against the side of the pot with a spoon to crush them.

Add the chicken pieces, half of the cilantro and allow to simmer for another hour. Add salt to taste.

Serve in bowls and garnish with cilantro and sliced avocado. ENJOY!