No flu yet. And the soup is dayum good. How did I make it? you ask.

I cooked one package each of chicken breasts and thighs. Removed the skin first. While the chicken was cooking I dumped in a whole jar of hot salsa. (I was worried that that was too much b/c while the soup was cooking my eyes started watering, even with the hood on. Turns out it is just exactly spicy enough.) When the chicken had cooked I removed it and added some chopped celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and a handful or so of brown rice. Took the meat off the bone, shredded it a bit, and put it back in. Continued to simmer until the carrots were done. I set the pot in the sink in cold water to cool quickly so it could be refrigerated, and then divided it into disposable single-serving containers (which we don't dispose of, we wash and re-use.) After I heated my serving tonight I garnished it with bits of avocado. And I had tortilla chips on the side.

R had some today and he thought it was good. You probably know that capsaicin, which is the chemical that makes chili peppers hot, is a natural pain killer. It's counterintuitive, but there it is. So you should go for the salsa when you have a sore throat. I have had success "treating" mild migraines with it.