Chicken, Charred Poblano, Corn, and Wild Rice Soup

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Dice onion. Peel carrot and dice small and dice celery small. Mince garlic. Add onions, carrot, and celery to the pot. Let vegetables sweat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and let sweat for another few minutes.

Meanwhile preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Coat the poblano chili with the vegetable oil. Place on the grill pan and sear for a couple minutes per side until slightly charred. Let the chili cool slightly.

Remove stem, seeds, and ribs from the chili. Cut the remaining chili into a small dice. Add to the pot along with the cumin and oregano. Let the flavors marry for another two minutes until fragrant.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir then put a lid on. Raise the heat to high. While the soup is coming to a boil, rinse rice until cold running water until water runs clear. When soup is at a boil, stir in rice and reduce heat to medium. Shred chicken and remove corn kernels from the ear.

Refer to the package on the rice. Whatever the cooking time is, about 15 minutes before the rice is supposed to be done add the shredded chicken and corn along with some salt and pepper. Put the lid back on and continue cooking until rice is tender. Taste, add more salt or pepper if necessary. Dish up soup into bowls and top with chopped cilantro.