Dinner Tonight: Salsa soups up soup during spring's last cold snap

Every spring it happens. You think you're ready to venture into salad entrees, but Mother Nature — at least the Midwestern Mama version — decides otherwise. In some places, baby, it's (still) cold outside. Because salsa and avocado evoke warm, sunshiney days, their presence in this soup makes up for the lack of swimsuit weather.

The soup is so easy that even the most reluctant cook should give it a try. Inspired by recipes from two of Rick Bayless' cookbooks — "Salsas That Cook" and "Mexican Everyday" — its main ingredient, and the key to its success, is a jar of salsa. And there's the catch: So much depends on the quality of the salsa, you really need to buy the good stuff.

• SPRING FEVER SALSA SOUP

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: Five minutes

Yield: Four servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 16-ounce jar salsa

1 32-ounce container low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained

11⁄2 cups frozen corn kernels

1⁄2 cup each: chopped cilantro, shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 small avocado, cubed

Tortilla chips, crumbled, optional

Putting it together

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the salsa; cook, stirring, until heated through, about two minutes. Add the broth; heat to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low; add the chicken, beans and corn. Cook until chicken cooks through, five to seven minutes. Turn off heat; stir in the cilantro.

Divide the soup into four bowls; stir in the cheese and avocado. Top with tortilla chips, if desired.