Chicken tortilla soup is by far one of my favorite soups. It is simple, healthy, and delicious and can be made in the slow cooker or on the stove top.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds (about 3 medium) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 3 to 4 corn tortillas, chopped (see note above)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, avocados, crispy tortilla strips or chips, and other desired toppings, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Stovetop: In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir.
Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the chicken and chopped tortillas; cook for 8-10 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker (you can skip this pre-cooking step, but I like to do it since I find that sometimes the onions don’t soften all the way when cooking).
Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, chicken, and chopped tortillas. Stir.
Cook for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 on high. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
