Let's just jump right in to the good stuff, shall we?
I had a hankerin tonight for something new. I knew I wanted a hearty soup because there was a wonderful south Georgia Spring thunderstorm brewing and soup screams comfort food. Although...I guess comfort food doesn't scream. Let me rephrase: Soup soothingly whispers "comfort" while hugging you!
I didn't want my normal staple soups, (corn chowder, baked potato, chili...)
I decided on chicken tortilla soup, something I had only eaten once and never cooked. Since I don't follow recipes very well (I think it's my attempt at being rebellious...) I decided to pick and choose parts I like from other recipes. Here is what I came up with:
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast (or tenders)
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can Ro-Tel with lime and cilantro
1 small/medium sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 box (or 2 cans) chicken broth
1 can c/o chicken soup
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
few dashes (about 1 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
pepper to taste
sour cream, tortilla chips or strips, cheese or any other topping you like
Cut chicken breasts/tenders into very small pieces. (Kitchen shears are WONDERFUL for chicken!) Put in pot with chicken broth and boil until chicken turns white. (Should be QUICK since pieces are so small...aren't I smart?!) While the chicken cooks, cook onion and garlic with a drizzle of olive oil or a tbsp butter over low-medium for about 5 minutes until onions start to soften. Add in cumin, chili powder, salt, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to coat. Add in everything else, including cooked chicken and broth, and stir to combine. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes until all warm and tasty!
Top with cheese, sour cream and anything else you like and serve with chips.
Now, since I'm a wuss (about pretty much everything...) and my husband keeps a year-supply of hot sauce on hand at all times, he preferred it with a few dashes of Tapatillo sauce and an extra few handfuls of cheese! You may prefer it that way, too! In fact, if you REALLY like spice, try chopping a few jalapenos or chilis and throwing them in with the onions or add in a jar of sliced jalapenos with the beans and soups. I also thought about adding in some cream cheese to thicken it up!
I should mention that the original recipes all called for 2 cans of chunk chicken...that would save a bit of time, but in my opinion isn't worth it. I'm not a huge fan of canned meats of any kind, so I decided to use fresh! You are welcome to use either way you like!
I'm open to all suggestions, criticisms, and comments!
