Cook-Along Mexican Soup

Cindy’s Kitchen Cook-Along Mexican Soup
Ingredients: 🐔🐄🐖
2 cups meat of choice, cooked (beef, chicken, pork – crumbled or diced)
48 oz chicken or veggie broth 🐔
1 onion, diced 🧅
1 stalk of celery, diced 🥬
1 carrot, diced 🥕
3-5 cloves roasted or raw garlic, minced 🧄🧄🧄-🧄🧄
1 cup instant rice 🍚
1 can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn or hominy, drained and rinsed 🌽
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 🍅
1 teaspoon ground cumin (smoked or plain)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt 🧂
pepper
oil or butter 🧈
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped – optional
Topping options: chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, tortilla strips

Instructions:
1. In a large soup pot under medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil or butter. Add onion, celery and carrot and add pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika and chili powder, stir and cook another minute.
2. Add chicken or veggie broth, scraping bottom of pot to deglaze, bring to a boil. Add rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then add enough water to within 1-2 inches from the top of the pot. Boil for 5 minutes (this ensures the instant rice is cooked).
3. Serve alone or with optional toppings listed above.

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