Gwyneth’s cleanse-friendly Peruvian chicken cauli rice soup

A friend of mine told me about this soup she’d had at a Peruvian restaurant called aguadito de pollo that was a vibrant green colour from all the coriander in it. As a lover of coriander for its unmistakable flavour, I had to try to make my own version of the soup. After tinkering a bit and swapping out the rice for cauliflower rice, I landed on a soup that was equal parts light and satiating. Coriander is said to have chelating properties – meaning it may help the body get rid of heavy metals and is generally thought of as a cleansing herb in the Ayurvedic tradition. This is the kind of cleanse-friendly food I’d eat whenever.

Peruvian Chicken Cauli Rice Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
½ jalapeño (optional)
juice of 3 limes
60ml water, plus more if needed
1 litre chicken stock
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp sea salt
½ head of cauliflower, riced (100-150g)
55g frozen peas
lime wedges, for serving

Method
Combine the onion, coriander, jalapeño (if using), lime juice, and water in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to loosen the mixture. Set aside.

In a medium soup pot, bring the stock to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and salt and cook until the chicken is opaque and fully cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool.

Meanwhile, add the cauliflower rice and peas to the broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower rice is tender but not mushy. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat.

To serve, increase the heat to medium, return the shredded chicken to the pot, and add the onion-coriander purée. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes before serving. Divide into bowls and garnish with lime.

Extracted from The Clean Plate: Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Everyday Glow by Gwyneth Paltrow (Sphere, approx €28).