We recently took a weekend trip to Indianapolis and tried out Luciana’s while we were there. One of our favorite things to do when we’re out of town is to try food that we can’t get back home here in Cincinnati. It’s the former home of Uno Pizzeria & Grill from some 20-odd years ago. I was a huge nerd growing up (still am!) and had the awards dinner for our accomplishments with the National Latin Club competitions in the early 2000s. I remember being sad when it had closed, but after returning all these years to find an incredible restaurant in its stead – I was very happy.
When we walked in, we noticed the owner’s daughter’s were on everything. They were so cute and smiley. We thought it was just a single restaurant, but apparently they’ve been busy over my years away! The oldest one is Luciana that the restaurant is named for, but she now has two little sisters. They have a few locations in Indy, but they also have one in Columbus! When we go up to visit our Cbus friends next, we’re definitely taking them to eat at the one there. Now, I don’t know the owners personally, and they did not pay me to write this, but I love good food, I love to cook, and we became obsessed with their Sopa de Pollo (Mexican chicken soup), and we can’t find anything like it here in Cincy!
Now, this soup is so good – light, fresh, delightful, and fragrant – that I would ALMOST be willing to drive two hours in either direction to Indy or Cbus just to get more of it. With the current gas prices, I figured it might be more economical to try my hand at recreating it as closely as possible instead.
Below is the recipe we came up with that my hubby whole-heartedly approved of!
Ingredients ::
- Chicken Broth
- Shredded Chicken
- Mexican Cheese
- Peppers & Onions
- Tomatoes
- Pico de Gallo
- Avocado
- Corn
- White Rice
- Lime Juice
- Paprika
- Cilantro Leaves
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
Directions ::
Pour 32 oz. of chicken (or vegetable broth) in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add shredded chicken, sliced peppers and onions, and corn with 2 tbsp. of paprika (or pico de gallo seasoning blend with paprika), 2 tsp. each of garlic and onion powders, and a pinch of salt and pepper (add more seasoning to taste as it simmers). Bring to a boil, then put on medium heat. Add in 2 Tbsp. of lime juice (fresh is better), 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes (fresh is better), 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese, and 2 cups cooked white rice. Simmer on low heat for one hour, covered. Ladle into serving bowls. Dice one fresh avocado immediately before serving. Evenly distribute the avocado on top of the soup in bowls. Spoon a generous helping of pico de gallo (make yourself or buy prepared in the produce section) on top. Serve, and enjoy! *For a fully vegetarian option, substitute a plant-based chicken alternative.
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Leave your comments below on how your versions turned out and any tweaks you recommend!
