Soup

Luisa's Not-Famous-At-All Chicken Soup

3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup flour* (I use gluten-free flour, or see below)
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 potatoes, diced
3-4 carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper

cilantro, torn in pieces, to taste (optional)
4-6 cups chicken broth or water (enough to cover vegetables)
1 rotisserie chicken (remove all meat and shred)

In a 6 1/2 quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic, cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and cilantro. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, 10-12 minutes. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken and warm through.

*Sometimes I use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the soup. I cook the onions and garlic in the oil, then add the rest of the vegetables, seasonings, cilantro and broth, cooking until vegetables are tender. Then I mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water and add this to the soup. After it comes to a boil, I stir in the shredded chicken.

(And sorry, my soup doesn't actually look all that appetizing in the photo. I'm no food stylist. I promise it tastes better than it looks.)