Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been such a soup girl lately, which is funny because for a large portion of my life I wasn’t much of a soup person at all. This recipe for a chicken tortilla soup is a perfect opportunity to whip the crockpot out and make a simple meal. Or even make a big batch and store some away in the freezer for when you are sick. Speaking of, the spice in this soup is sure to open your nasal airways if ya need it! LOL

I cooked this soup on the stovetop because that worked better with my schedule, but I definitely recommend the crockpot version mainly because the chicken is more moist this way and you get even more flavor!

I’m also posting this recipe close to Thanksgiving so I should mention its a great soup to make minus the chicken and then you can toss your leftover turkey in at the end!

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 T tomato paste

• 2 T chipotle adobo sauce

• 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 t paprika

• 1 t cayenne

• 1 t chili powder

• 1 t onion powder

• 1 t salt

• 1 t pepper

• 1 t cumin

• 1/2 t oregano

• 1/4 c cilantro, chopped

• 1 15 oz can black beans

• 1 15 oz can pinto beans

• 3 chicken breasts

• 4 c chicken broth

• 1 c frozen corn

  Optional Toppings

• shredded cheese

• sour cream

• fresh cilantro

• tortilla strips (see notes)

Crock Pot Directions

1. Place the onion, jalapeños, garlic, tomato paste, chipotle adobo sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, all seasonings, beans and broth in the crockpot and mix together. Nest the chicken breasts in the mixture.

2. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.

3. Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the frozen corn to the pot and stir. While the corn defrosts within the soup, shred the chicken. Then add it back to the soup and enjoy!

Stovetop Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F.

2. In a large pot on medium-medium low heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, onion and jalapeños to the pot. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the tomato paste and chipotle adobo sauce. Mix everything together.

3. Next add the fire roasted tomatoes, all seasonings, beans and chicken broth. Stir everything together, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile place your chicken on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Cook for 20 minutes. Once done, shred the chicken and add it to the pot along with the corn. Cover and let the soup cook for another 5 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-free: This recipe is gluten-free.

Dairy-free: This recipe is dairy-free if you you do not sop with cheese or sour cream and/or use dairy-free equivalents.

Chipotle Adobo Sauce: Buy a can of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and use the sauce.

Tortilla Strips: You can buy tortilla strips pre-made at the grocery store. They are usually found by the croutons and other salad toppers. Or you can make your own! I made mine by cutting tortillas into strips, spraying them with cooking oil, sprinkling them with salt and cooking them in my air fryer on 400 for 8-10 minutes or until crispy. Keep an eye on them and toss halfway if necessary!

Using a Rotisserie Chicken: Make things a little easier by shredding a rotisserie chicken and adding it to the soup instead of cooking your own. If you plan on reheat this soup in the microwave, wait to add the chicken until the soup cools down before you store it in the fridge.

Thanksgiving Turkey Leftovers: Add your turkey leftovers to the soup in stead of chicken. If you plan on reheat this soup in the microwave, wait to add the turkey until the soup cools down before you store it in the fridge.