Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

I love soup.  I could possibly eat it every day, even in the summer.  I also love Mexican food.  This merging of my loves was just what I needed on a freezing cold night to warm me up!

Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

 Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded or chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 stalks celery, chopped into chunks
1 lg. onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp.oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1-15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. rice
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley

Directions
Heat butter and oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat, until butter is melted.

Meanwhile chop up the carrot and throw them in the pot.

Chop the onion, and celery, and throw them in the pot with the carrots. 

Stir them around and cook for a few minutes, until they begin to soften, but not brown.

Mince up your garlic and throw it in, along with the chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano and salt and pepper.  Stir that continuously until aromatic. 

Pour in about 1 c. of the broth to loosen any bits.

Dump in your beans, and add the rest of the broth.

Throw in the chicken and rice and put a lid on it and cook 15-20 minutes, until the rice is done.

All you have to do now is add in the cilantro or parsley.  My people DO NOT like cilantro, so I was stuck with parsley.  It would have been so amazing with cilantro, but I was not willing to listen to the complaining about cilantro tasting like dish water.  Cry babies.