“Chique” Recipe: Tortilla Soup

Recently, my sister has been boasting about her homemade chicken tortilla soup, which not only made my mouth water, but prompted me to try it myself. As some of you know, I am a huge fan of Mexican fare, so any soup topped with avocado, sour cream and homemade tortilla strips gets five stars in my book. So, I did a little research on line to find a recipe that was easy, authentic and enticing, but crock pot friendly. As usual, I changed it up a bit to fit our tastes; so in theory, because I omitted and added ingredients, I can call it all my own, right?

I haven’t been very good about using my slow cooker, but in between Pilates, Stylist clients, school pick up and swimming it really is the best way to have a piping hot dinner ready on the table by 6:30 pm without slaving away in the kitchen all afternoon. I literally put all the ingredients into the crock pot at 1:30 pm and we came home to the most delicious smelling meal. This is my first attempt at Chicken Tortilla Soup, and if I must say so myself, it was out of this world. A tad too spicy for the little guys, but by the time they realized it had a zing they had devoured the entire bowl. It is definitely going on the list of staple meals as it fits the bill, simple & “Chique”.

Tortilla Soup Recipe

1 pound organic chicken breast tenders
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 cup Enchilada Sauce from Budget Bytes
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 scallions, chopped
3 limes, juiced
1 medium Serrano pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 box organic chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon corriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Top with:
Fresh cilantro
Diced avocado
Sour Cream
Lime wedges
Tortilla strips

Homemade Tortilla Strips
6 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Sea Salt

Saute chicken breasts in olive oil with salt and pepper until browned. They don’t need to be cooked all the way. In the meantime, add all other ingredients into the slow cooker, stir and then add chicken. Cover and simmer on high setting for 4 to 5 hours. Yesterday, I did realize half way through that I was out of chili powder, so I added some paprika and cayenne pepper which probably was a bit much for the spice factor, but it was still delicious! I made homemade Enchilada Sauce from Budget Bytes and it was beyond delicious. I will never buy canned again! You must try it. Before serving just use tongs and a fork to shred the chicken as it will easily fall apart.

To make the tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of the corn tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into thin strips, toss with salt and then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Watch to make sure you don’t burn the tortilla strips as the time depends on the thickness.

Serve the soup with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, lime wedges and tortilla strips. Enjoy!