Chicken Tortilla Soup

About once a week at our house we have a Mexican food night.  While regular ground beef tacos seem to be the favorite with the kiddos, a gal needs to switch things up now and then. (Please see previous posts for an easy, delicious crockpot cilantro lime chicken tacos recipe as well as chicken enchiladas your family are sure to love) I was going through some of my recipes the other night and came across one for chicken tortilla soup.  Bingo!  It was one of those recipes I've made before, was a hit with my husband & I but the (picky) kids seemed a bit young for it so unfortunately it got lost in the shuffle.  Thank goodness now that they are a bit older, they are willing to try more things.  (It helps that this recipe is topped with shredded cheese and tortilla chips... they dug right in!)  Another wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can freeze it.  I LOVE freezable soup recipes and I'm quite picky about them because I don't like the ones where the consistency changes after it thaws.  Ew. Thankfully that won't be an issue with this chicken tortilla soup.  You can also pack it up in a thermos for the kids, along with baggies of some broken up tortilla chips & shredded cheese and they'll get to enjoy a wonderful hot lunch from home while they're at school. 
To make this meal even easier, grab yourself one of those mouthwatering whole roasted chickens from the deli section of the grocery store (I've found Costco is cheapest at about $4.99 for a whole chicken) and start shredding!   I use about 3/4 of the meat for the soup and save the rest to make chicken and cheese quesadillas to go along with the soup.  (I add caramelized onions to my quesadillas, because... yum!) You can do whatever you want!  If you don't want to make quesadillas with it just add all the chicken to the soup and you'll just have a heartier soup.  If you choose to make this earlier in the day, a crockpot can cook it as well or just be used to keep it warm until dinner.
Thinking ahead, this would also make another wonderful meal to bring friends that could use a night off.  (I always try to think outside the box and do something other than lasagna. While it's definitely a fav and much appreciated, I seem to fall into a "lasagna trap" and use that as my go to, every time.  Good to switch it up!) Whether it's celebrating the life of a new baby and a mom that needs a break, or even mourning the loss of a family member or friend, a ready meal is something that gives that person one less thing to worry about.
So whether you choose to top this already amazing Chicken Tortilla Soup with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado or sour cream, I'm confident that you'll really enjoy it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

*shredded or cubed chicken (about a pound or so)

*one (15oz) can of diced or crushed tomatoes, whichever you prefer

*one (10oz) can of mild enchilada sauce

*one medium onion, chopped

*one (4oz) can chopped green chilis

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*2 cups of water

*one (14oz) can chicken broth

*one tsp cumin

*one tsp chili powder

*one tsp salt

*1/4 tsp black pepper

*one bay leaf

*one (10oz) package of frozen corn

*one Tbls chopped cilantro (or use cilantro paste if fresh isn't available)

*6-7 corn tortillas

*vegetable oil

Saute onion and garlic with a teaspoon of veg oil in a soup pot.  Add chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chilis, water, broth and dry seasonings.  Once mixed, stir in corn and cilantro.  Bring to a simmer and then turn down to low.  Let cook for about 45 minutes or so, or throw into a crockpot on low for about 6 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Preheat oven to 400.  Brush both sides of the corn tortillas with vegetable oil and lay on a baking sheet.  Grab a pizza cutter and cut into strips.  Bake until you notice they are crisping up... about 8-10 minutes, being careful not to burn.

Sprinkle tortilla chips over soup and serve with delicious toppings of your choice. ENJOY this easy to throw together, incredible meal! 

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