Monday, January 10, 2011

Chicken Tortilla Soup


We love soup, and I can't believe that I had never made Chicken Tortilla Soup before.  It is so easy and delicious, and healthy. Of course, it also helps that we live in Chicago Land, and the wind chill hovers at -5 below.  Yes, that is a minus sign, so hot soup to me warms my body and my soul.  There are probably as many variations of Tortilla soup, as there are chili recipes:)  I change recipes all the time, or take bits and piieces of several recipes to make it my own.

This particular healthy recipe uses cooked chicken, or you could even use a rotisserie chicken, if you want. Then you have your spices, chili powder, garlic and cumin, but you could add jalapenos, or red pepper flakes.  Surprisingly, my husband didn't add any additional heat. If you wanted additional heat, you could use the diced tomatoes with green chilies.  You also add chicken stock, I used low sodium, and no salt tomatoes.  We also added 1 cup of frozen corn, but you can also add black beans, but we didn't, because I don't like black beans.  Then you just simmer the above ingredients and pour into soup bowls.  How easy is that.  Just add your toppings, as desired, sour cream, I used no-fat, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime juice, (a must in our house)  and cheese.  You don't see the crushed chips or cheese, because I was in such a hurry to take a picture, before the sun left my dining room.  If I added the cheese and the chips, you wouldn't be able to see the beautiful color of the soup, and the other ingredients. Enjoy!

Here is a tease for my next  post, Engagement Champagne Cupcakes!


Chicken Tortilla Soup
Yield:  4 servings

Cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken stock
1 ½ cups cooked , chopped chicken breast
1 c water
1   tbsp chili powder,
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can dices tomatoes

1 c. frozen corn
¾ c crushed tortilla chips
¼ c shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
4 lime wedges
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large sauce pan over med- high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray..  Add garlic, saute 1 min.  Add stock and next 5 ingredients, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer 15 min.  Ladle soup into 4 bowls, top each with 2 tbsp chips, 1 tbsp cheese, 1 tbsp cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and avocado slices, if desired.

13 comments:

  1. A perfectly warming and delicious bowl of soup! Excellent flavors here!

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  2. Natasha- This soup is wonderfu, I can't believe that I had never made it before.

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  3. I love Tortilla Soup! Yours looks especially good and it would be perfect for a -5 degree day. Brrr. (We're whining in Seattle because it's supposed to get down to the teens Tuesday night and we might - gasp - get 2-4 inches of snow!)

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  4. Becky the soup look wonderful, and sounds amazing!
    I love the photo!!

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  5. Kath- We're having the same weather in the Midwest, and we're supposed t have 4-6". Get your shovel ready and make soup:)

    Sandra- Thank you for your kind words, especially about the photo, I'm trying:)

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  6. I've never made chicken tortilla soup before either, and I keep meaning to. yours looks great and inspires me to do it soon!

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  7. OK... I WILL stop complaining about my "windchill"!! You are a trooper. But with soup like this you will warm up.
    I can't wait for the next post!!!! Sounds exciting!!! =)

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  8. Carolyn- This soup is quick and easy, even for soup, but with all the flavor. there are so many ways t make this recipe your own:)

    Kim-I eat a lot of soup in the winter, because we have so many "soup days."

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  9. Soup looks incredibly hearty and wholesome.. I kinda wish it was winter in Australia right now so I can fully enjoy a bowl of that!

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  10. Your soup looks great, but at -5° I think I might want to jump in the soup.

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  11. Kimberly- We're wishing for summer over here!

    Felice- I idn;t know that you ate much soup over there in Hawaii, but this would be a good one.

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  12. I make mine in the crockpot - yum! Just through chicken breasts in their whole, and raw, and the shred them up just before serving!

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  13. I'm sorry that there's a negative sign in front of that temperature reading (and I hope you can't see my smile). I'm so glad I don't live up there anymore (though I have to say; GO BEARS!).

    The soup looks fantastic. I do enjoy a good tortilla soup and will have to try this one. Especially if the temps dip into the 30s again. :)

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