Ingredients :
1 large poblano pepper or 3 anaheim peppers (or any other pepper that you have on hand)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed, grated or finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 quart organic chicken stock
2 cups water
2 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons sea salt, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, more or less to taste
Garnish: Avocado, Cilantro, Corn, Sour Cream etc...
Instructions:
Roast the pepper either over the flame on your gas burner or under the broiler, turning every few minutes until it charred all the way around, about 5 minutes total.
Place the hot charred pepper in a glass bowl and cover the bowl (plastic wrap works great) to trap the steam for at least 15 minutes but up to 1 day ahead.
Once steamed, peel the charred skin off and discard. Remove and discard the stem and seeds.
To Start the Soup:
Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 3-4 minutes until soft. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, a large pinch of sea salt and a small pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Cook the garlic and spices with the onions for 2-3 minutes, then add the stock, water and beans.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Once at a low simmer, add the chicken breasts to the pot to gently poach them.
Always poach at a low simmer to prevent the meat from becoming tough. Check at 30 minutes.
Once they are cooked through remove them from the pot and shred with two forks. (Set aside until after the pepper is puréed.)
Add the roasted pepper to the blender with 3 large ladles full of the soup mixture (stock, beans, onions, spices but none of the chicken). Leave at least half of the beans in the pot to leave them whole.
Purée the pepper with the beans and soup mixture to create a thick and creamy base.
Add the shredded chicken and puréed mixture back into the pot and stir. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary .
