Spicy Thai Chicken Soup

This is the season when it seems like everyone you talk to has a touch of the flu.  It's always going around this time of year. With that in mind, I decided to make some type of chicken soup.  I found this recipe on All Recipes, and I modified it to fit my style of cooking.  Here's what I came up with...

Spicy Thai Chicken Soup

2 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cans coconut milk 
1 lime 
1 jalepeno pepper sliced
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 large onion sliced
1 package of mushrooms sliced
3 - 4 stalks of lemongrass (use only white part smashed with butt of knife)
3 inch piece of ginger sliced
3 cloves of garlic sliced
4 cups chicken stock 
2 tbps.  peanut oil 
1 cup fresh cilantro 
1- 2 tbsp. green curry paste
3 tbsp. fish sauce  

In a large dutch oven, pour in chicken stock and add the garlic, ginger, and lemon grass.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.  Let cook for 30 minutes.  Don't salt this mixture.  You will be adding fish sauce, and it's all the salt you will need! 

Drain the chicken stock through a strainer reserving the broth and discard the rest.  Set broth aside. 

In same dutch oven, add peanut oil on medium/ high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes.  You will not cook the chicken all the way through yet.  Now add the mushrooms, green curry paste, fish sauce, and fresh lime juice and stir through.  Add the chicken broth back into the pot along with the 2 cans of coconut milk.  Let this mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.  The chicken will finish cooking, and the mixture will marry into a beautiful Thai flavored bowl of yum yum!!!  

Pour into a serving bowl and top with sliced jalapenos, chopped peanuts, and lots of fresh cilantro!