Thai lime chicken soup

Just made this again tonight - was really good!  I made a few changes to the following recipe: I used baby bok choy instead of spinach.  I chopped the leaves, and added to the broth, and I pre roasted the stems, after quartering them.  I also added a can of coconut milk to it.....  I used fresh made chicken broth, made from the bones, wings and thighs of a roasted chicken we made the night before last.  Great recipe - kind of a kitchen sink thing - you can add whatever you want to it and it still tastes good!

Thai Lime Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 sm pkg Shitaki mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

2 tsp fresh ground ginger root ( to taste - a little goes a long way)

3 tbs fish sauce ( to taste - again, a little goes a long way)

1/4 tsp yellow curry powder

1 tsp Thai seasoning (totally optional - I keep this around normally)

zest and juice from 2 limes

2 tbs fresh rough chopped cilantro

3 tbs fresh rough chopped basil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 seeded, sliced Thai chili pepper ( or small Jalapeno)

1 leek, dark green part removed, sliced into thin rings, rinsed well and separated

1 9 oz pkg Perdue Short Cuts pre cooked chicken breast

1/4 pkg ( about 4 oz ) Thai rice noodles

1 cup rough chopped spinach, raw

Instructions:

Soak rice noodles in HOT water, according to instructions for about 15 minutes, or until soft.  Drain, put to side.  In med - large sauce pan ( at least 4qts) add everything but the noodles and the spinach.  Bring to a boil over med high heat, then lower to med low, and simmer for about 20 minutes or so.  Add noodles, and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Add spinach, and simmer till wilted - about 5 minutes more.

Using tongs, pile a portion of noodles into a soup bowl, then ladle liquid/chicken etc over the top.  Garnish with a few fresh copped cilantro leaves, and if you want to spice it up a bit, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, and enjoy!  This soup is as good as any I have had in a restaurant!

One note - please taste as you go - basil, cilantro and ginger are VERY strong ingredients - you may want to alter the quantities up or down to your taste as you go!