Chipotle Chicken Vegetable Soup

Got the idea for this after sampling a couple bowls of a regional style soup in New Mexico, just substituted Chipotles for the green chiles: Roast chicken in oven till done (Hey, smoke it if you really want to be game!), cool overnight. Debone chicken and save all the bones & scraps. Cut meat into bite size bits removing fat & gristle. Refrigerate. In a large stock pot add bones and carcass as well as veggie peelings, carrot butts and onion skins etc and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 hours, skimming and stirring occasionally. Strain through a collander and add stock back to pot. Add celery, bell pepper, corn, onions and carrots as well as the canned stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until veggies begin to turn tender. Add chicken and canned tomato. While soup is coming back to a simmer, take about a cup of it and put in a food processor with the chipotles & adobo. Whirr it up for about 30 seconds or untill the peppers are well pureed. Add salt, pepper and thyme to the soup, then start adding the chipotle puree about a quarter cup at a time, stirring and tasting for the desired pungency. Using all of it makes for a chileheads delite, but may be too much for some gringos to handle! This makes a big old pot full which would probably serve 20 or 25 people. Good for freezing and serving at a later time. You could use all canned stock and one of those rotisserie chickens from the store, but my life is dull and I got nothin better to do... Posted to bbq-digest by =Mark <mstevens@exit109.com> on Mar 15, 1998