Chicken & Lime Soup

This is from the Everything Soup cookbook that I have just started going through. Tonight Steve & Sam had to go to a potluck for Cub Scouts so they didn't eat this. Melissa & I and the 4 remaining kids ate it. Melissa, in case you didn't know, is my Monday Night Guinea Pig. I try new recipes on her a lot. I joked with her tonight that she should change her occupation on facebook to "guinea pig for the Page kitchen." She said she was going to, so stay tuned for that. The soup is kind of Mexican-ish. It has limes and cilantro, which I love. Melissa doesn't like cilantro; she says it reminds her of a California Roach Coach (apparently this is a place in CA where unlicensed vendors sell tacos), but she loves me enough that she still tries whatever I make, and usually likes it. Or, if she doesn't like it, she doesn't tell me. I also am changing the order of how the recipe's directions are given. I found it to be confusing and hard to follow. You might even after the rewrite, if you don't think like me.

Chicken & Lime Soup
3 limes, 2 juiced and 1 cut into thin slices
1 jalapeno, minced (I left this out because of the small children. Oh yeah, also because I'm a wimp and don't like spicy things)
1 tbsp minced cilantro, plus 6 sprigs
1 tomato, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 oz mild yellow cheese (I intended to use shredded Mexican cheese. I realize as I type the recipe in that I didn't use any cheese at all)
2 corn tortillas, cut into strips (I used tortilla chips instead because I love them)
8 oz uncooked chicken breast
5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes (blanching the chicken). Remove to a plate and shred. Discard the water you cooked the chicken in.

In a soup pot, combine the broth, lime juice, oregano, basil, jalapeno, bay leaf, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken, tomato, onion, cilantro, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf (oops, need to remember to remove the bay leaf from Steve's leftovers for tomorrow).

Garnish with cheese, slices of tortilla, lime slices, and cilantro sprigs. 6 servings.

Okay even though I forgot the cheese this was so good! All the kids only ate the chicken and the tortilla chips. Melissa and I had ours with the lime slices on top. The flavor of the lime really came out, and having the tortilla chips on top made it taste fabulous. So, not a crowd-pleaser at our house, but I'm still keeping the recipe.