Chicken Tortilla Soup

Historically, the tortillas are cut into strips and then fried. In this version, the ﬁnished soup is instead topped with an optional handful of whole grain tortilla chips, to mimic that traditional crunch and starchiness. The corn and pinto beans are an American Southwest twist we added, and the additional calories and ﬁber from these ingredients make this dish more of an entrée, rather than an appetizer.

Filed Under: Latin American Heritage Diet, Soups & Appetizers, Lunch, Gluten-free, Staff Favorites

Rating

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Active time

15 minutes

Total time

1 hour 20 minutes

Yield

6 servings

Serving Size

1/6 recipe (about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (for stovetop version only)
1 (14-ounce) can ﬁre roasted diced tomatoes, no salt added
½ tablespoon garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1 chipotle chile (canned in adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed
½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, including stems
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Optional garnishes: whole grain tortilla chips, grated pepper jack cheese, avocado slices, plain Greek yogurt, and/or fresh cilantro

Instructions

Stove-Top Directions:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until onion softens and browns. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, chipotle chile, and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant.
Add the broth, water pinto beans, corn, cilantro, salt, and pepper to the pot, and nestle the chicken into the liquid. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until chicken reaches 165 °F when tested with a meat thermometer (approximately 45-60 minutes).
Remove chicken pieces and place on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then return to the pot and mix until the chicken is well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
Ladle the soup into 6 bowls, and top with optional garnishes as desired.

Slow Cooker Directions:

Add all ingredients (except optional garnishes) to a slow cooker and cook for 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Remove chicken pieces and place on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then return to slow cooker and mix until the chicken is well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
Ladle the soup into 6 bowls, and top with optional garnishes as desired.

(Nutrition analysis does not include optional garnishes)

An Oldways recipe, courtesy of Kelly Toups