Southwest Chicken Soup
 
 
All the nourishment of a rich chicken soup with all the flavors and spice of the Southwest, this Chicken Tortilla Soup is a hearty, nutritious meal.
Alison:
Serves: 4-6 servings
Grocery List
  • 1 3-4 lb. whole chicken -- or 3 c. cooked chicken
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 30 oz. fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 6 c. chicken broth (this will be included if you cook your own chicken as per the instructions -- if using pre-cooked chicken for the recipe, you will also need to purchase 6 c. pre-made stock)
  • 15 oz. can black beans
  • 1½ c. corn
  • 2 T. lemon juice
  • 2 T. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 8 oz. cream cheese (optional)
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Options for garnish:
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Avocado
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Jalapeños
  • Cilantro
Here's how...
  1. Put 3-4 lbs. of chicken pieces or a whole chicken in a pot in the morning, and cover it with water with 2 tsp. kosher salt and a bit of pepper. Cook it on medium heat until it floats -- about an hour and a half.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot, let it cool enough to handle so you can remove the meat from the bones. Put the meat in the fridge to cool and toss the bones all back in the pot to simmer for as many hours as you have until dinner. Strain the bones out and you have a rich stock from which to start the base of your soup.
  3. Chop 1 medium onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Set aside.
  4. Mix chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and smoked paprika in a small bowl and set aside.
  5. Add 2 T. olive oil to a pot and heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add in the chopped garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder spice mixture into the onions and garlic for a minute or two to toast the spices and let the flavors release.
  6. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock or broth, drained and rinsed black beans, corn, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  7. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least 30 minutes to let everything marry and get happy in the pot.
  8. While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut 8 corn tortillas into ¼" strips using kitchen shears or a pizza cutter. Toss them with a little olive oil and place them on a lightly buttered baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt. and bake in preheated oven for around ten minutes or until desired level of golden crunch.
  9. Cut 3 cups of cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it back to the pot five minutes before serving.
  10. Garnish with avocado, freshly shredded Cheddar, sour cream, salsa, jalapeños,, and cilantro.
Recipe by That Which Nourishes at https://thatwhichnourishes.com/southwest-chicken-soup/