This weekend I was really in the mood for Tortilla Soup! I found a recipe that sounded very authentic and called for tomatillos and poblano peppers, so I headed to Trader Joe’s to grab some groceries and my soup ingredients. After arriving, I realized they did not carry these Mexican-inspired specialty items! Since I was not about to make a second stop, I decided I’d wing it and make my own version of tortilla soup.
I knew I had some frozen ground chicken breast in the refrigerator, so instead of buying fresh whole chicken breasts to shred, I figured I’d continue with the unconventional theme for the soup and use the ground chicken instead! I consider soup and slow cooker dishes the perfect place to use up frozen meats.
I’ve gotta say this unconventional, tortilla-style soup came out delicious! This is a perfect opportunity to discuss the fact that cooking can be a creation of what you have in the house. Don’t feel like every ingredient called for in a recipe must be EXACTLY as stated in the recipe. Feel free to delete and substitute ingredients as you like. Cooking should be fun, creative and innovative! And who knows–maybe your unconventional version will be even better than the standard!
Quick and Easy Tortilla-Style Soup
Ground chicken makes this soup a little less conventional and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground chicken breast or ground turkey breast
- 1 15 ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
- 1 cup enchilada sauce Victoria brand or one without preservatives
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen organic corn
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 sprouted-grain tortillas or corn tortillas cut into strips
Toppings
- avocado diced
- green onions diced
- shredded mexican cheese
- 2% Greek yogurt
- jalapeno pepper diced
Directions
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Heat a large soup pot on medium-high heat.
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Add oil and let heat for 1 minute.
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Add onion and carrot and saute until soft and a little brown, about 10 minutes.
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Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
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Add ground chicken and break up into small pieces. Cook until brown, about 15 minutes.
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Add canned tomatoes, enchilada sauce, broth, corn, spices and lime juice. Stir well.
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Increase heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Place tortilla strips on cookie sheet covered with Silpat or aluminum foil.
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Toss with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
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Place in oven and cook until lightly browned and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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After 30 minutes of cooking the soup, stir in cilantro and cook for 3 more minutes.
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Serve soup topped with tortillas strips and any of the toppings you like!
Recipe Notes
Angelic Bakehouse brand of sprouted grain wraps can be used as the tortillas in this recipe.
Sometimes soup thickens as it sits, so feel free to add more broth or even a little water to the soup if it thickens too much.
