I have to admit, I’m not really a soup person and I’m not sure why. It might have to do with the fact that I ate beef stew A LOT as a kid, and I never liked it. Or it might be the numerous soups I’ve tried over the years that didn’t taste good (or tasted like hot water), didn’t fill me up, or just didn’t look appetizing.
But it’s been cold in Minneapolis recently (read: ever since I moved here). And making a hot meal every night after work becomes time consuming and tiresome. So I decided to revisit the soup idea. I’m a huge fan of pretty much any Mexican food, so I thought that was a good place to start exploring ideas for soup. And what I came up with was chicken tortilla soup.
What I like about this soup is that is fills me up after one bowl from its heartiness, yet it’s not full of added calories or fats. It has a little kick to it (and you can adjust the spiciness to your liking), and it doesn’t really remind me of soup due to its Mexican flavor. I feel like I’m eating an enchilada.
So get out the soup pot and light up the stove, because you’re making chicken tortilla soup for dinner tonight!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken tortilla soup is hearty, fresh, healthy, and tastes great. Find out how to make this tasty soup with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of butter (or substitute 3 tablespoons of olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 14-ounce cans chicken broth (only use 1.5 or 2 cans if you like your soup thicker)
- 1 quart fat free half-and-half
- 1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups salsa (I used Chi-Chi’s medium chunky salsa)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 15-ounce can each of: kidney beans, black beans, corn, all drained
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 packet (~1.27oz) fajita seasoning
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- 4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- Tortilla chips (I used Tostinos fajita scoops)
Steps
- 1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- 2. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté until soft and fragrant (about seven minutes).
- 3. Add the flour and stir well. Let this cook for at least one minute.
- 4. Add the chicken broth and half-and-half.
- 5. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low.
- 6. Add cream of chicken soup, salsa, chicken, beans, corn, cumin, fajita seasoning, and cheese.
- 7. Continue to simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes.
- 8. When serving, crumble tortilla chips on top of soup. Serve with extra cheese and sour cream, optional.
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