I feel like I’ve been posting an overabundance of desserts lately – that was definitely due to a very poorly planned editorial calendar for this month. I have a few more sweets planned for next week but I have some great savory recipes planned for early October. (And I promise, what I have in store for next week is definitely worth it!)
But for today, let’s eat soup. I took a quick facebook poll to see what people wanted me to post next and soup won by a landslide. I love that you all love soup as much as I do! This chicken tortilla soup is one of my new favorites. It’s rich, spicy, and super satisfying.
It’s also the easiest soup I’ve ever made. (Seriously, you might laugh when you see how easy it is compared to how delicious it is. I certainly did!) The trick is to use SALSA instead of tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. It’s basically the best shortcut ever! The second trick is poaching the chicken right in the soup. It adds depth to the flavor of the store-bough broth and saves you from having to dirty a second pot. If your chicken is frozen, you don’t even need to worry about defrosting it first – just throw it right in.
(I haven’t mentioned it in a while, but I also write for the ShopRite Potluck blog. I originally created this recipe for them but since I love it so much I wanted to share it here too. Definitely check out the Potluck blog though too. There are some great recipes over there, including some that I don’t post here – like my chicken riggies and sauerbraten meatballs.)
Chicken Tortilla Soup
To make crispy tortillas for the top of your soup, cut 2 corn tortillas into thin strips, then cut in half crosswise. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350*F. When the oil is hot, add the tortillas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. The tortillas will continue to crisp as they cool.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups salsa
- 1 carton chicken stock
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 corn tortillas, diced
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Optional toppings: sliced avocado, fried tortilla strips, and cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Combine first seven ingredients in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to pull it apart into shreds. Return it to the pot, along with the lime juice and cilantro. Cook 5 minutes.
- Divide between four bowls and top with avocado, tortilla strips, and cheese.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1/4 recipeAmount Per Serving Calories 393Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 41mgSodium 1546mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 16gSugar 9gProtein 25g
p.s. we didn’t have chile powder 2 times I made this so we substituted with a tiny bit of ceyenne. It was great.
LOVED this!! So easy and tastes great! My favorite kinds of meals.
My family loves this chicken tortilla soup. Thanks for the recipe.
My husband made this for dinner as I was working late. I emailed him the recipe and he faithfully recreated it. When I got home, he told me he was unsure if 2T of chipotle pepper was correct, but he used that much since that’s what the recipe said. HOLY HANNAH it was spicy! 2 Tbsp of chipotle pepper makes this incredibly hot. We loved the concept and the taste, but it was difficult to eat because of the spice factor. Will definitely tone it down when we make it again!
oh no! I’m sorry that it was so spicy. I actually don’t find chipotle pepper to be very hot, but I should have mentioned in the recipe that I used medium salsa. You might have to adjust the seasonings if you use something hotter.
Yum! This looks divine! I love chicken tortilla soup–must try your recipe soon!