Chicken Tortilla Soup

It has been such and great morning!  

As I awoke, I peeked under my blind to find that my entire town had been blanketed in a winter wonderland!  Yes, it is our first big snow of the year!  I had originally planned to post something else today, but I can't think of ANYTHING I would rather eat on a snowy day than a delicious bowl of piping hot Chicken Tortilla Soup!  

This soup is quick and easy to prepare and the warm, spicy flavors are perfect for these colder temperatures.  Well, enough talking about it, LET'S GET STARTED!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup:
*Prep Time:  10 min.  *Cook Time:  20 min.  *Difficulty:  Easy  *Servings: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast (cooked)
• 6 c. Chicken Stock
• 2 c. Half and Half
• 2 c. Frozen Sweet Corn
• 1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
• 1 15 oz. can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz. can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 10 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ Green Chilies
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 Onion, diced
• 4 tbsp. Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp. Cumin 
• 1 tbsp. Paprika
• 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

To begin, you will need to place your soup pot over a medium/high heat to get hot.  

Once the pot is hot, add the butter to melt.

To the melted butter add the onion and garlic. 
Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, and you can smell the garlic coming from the pan.  

My version of chicken tortilla soup is a creamy one, so you are going to need to make a roux to thicken the broth.

To the butter, onions, and garlic, add the flour.

Using your whisk, stir until everything comes together, and let cook for 1-2 minutes.  

Now you can add the chicken stock. 
Be sure to whisk while pouring to prevent lumps in your soup.  
Bring the stock to a simmer and let thicken.  

While the stock is simmering, you can open the cans of beans, drain, and rinse them.

Once the stock has thickened, add the beans.  

One of the short-cuts I take with this soup is that I always have precooked chicken in my freezer.  
I just simply thaw it out, dice it up, and add it to my soup.  

If you do not have precooked chicken, you can do one of two things.  You can boil your chicken breasts and shred them.  Or, you can roast them in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, dice them, and add them to the soup.  

After adding the chicken you can also add your corn, 

Diced tomatoes with green chilies, 

And spices.
Let the soup come to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.   

After the soup has simmered for 10-15 minutes, remove from the heat and gently pour in the half and half.
Stir, taste for seasoning, and make any adjustments you think it needs.  

And there you have it!  The PERFECT soup for a cold and snowy evening!  It is warm, hearty, slightly spicy.  Everything you want in your ideal winter dinner.  We like to top ours with shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips, and a little fresh lime juice.  So get in the kitchen and whip up this decadent Chicken Tortilla Soup!  You will be so glad you did!  Stay warm out there and as always...

Happy Reading, Happy Eating, and Happy Living, 
~The Kitchen Wife~

Chicken Tortilla Soup:
*Prep Time:  10 min.  *Cook Time:  20 min.  *Difficulty:  Easy  *Servings: 6-8 servings

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast (cooked)
• 6 c. Chicken Stock
• 2 c. Half and Half
• 2 c. Frozen Sweet Corn
• 1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
• 1 15 oz. can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz. can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 10 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ Green Chilies
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 Onion, diced
• 4 tbsp. Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp. Cumin 
• 1 tbsp. Paprika
• 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place soup pot over medium/high heat and melt butter.
2. To melted butter add the onions and garlic.  Cook until soft and translucent. 
3. Add the flour to the butter, onion, and garlic mixture.  Stir until thick and well coated.
4. Add Chicken stock while whisking. 
5. Bring to a simmer and allow stock to thicken.  
6. To the thickened stock add the beans, cooked chicken, diced tomatoes w/green chilies, and spices.  Stir and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. *
7. After the 10-15 minute simmer, remove from heat and add half and half.  Stir and check for seasonings.  Make any adjustments you feel it needs.  
8. Serve and enjoy!**

*To cook chicken either boil or roast in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.

**Top with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, tortilla chips, and fresh lime juice.