We’ve had some beautiful fall days here this week – sunny with a cool breeze, the perfect days to have the windows open. Crisp fall days like these always make me yearn for soup, something to just warm me up enough to continue with keeping the windows open into the night so the kitties can enjoy it. 😉 This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is ideal for days like this, especially when you’re too busy to be watching a pot continuously over the stove!
This soup is a lot like one of my very favorites, taco soup, but with chicken and a thinner broth. While taco soup is super easy, since you just brown the ground beef and then pour a bunch of cans into a pot, this chicken tortilla soup is even easier, since you don’t even have to brown any meat! Just throw it all into the slow cooker (except for the beans and corn so they don’t overcook) and let it cook until the chicken is nice and tender. Add the beans and corn towards the end, and there you go. One awesome bowl of soup. Don’t forget the cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream, if you’re not lactose-intolerant like us!
With most of my favorite TV shows being back on air right now (Arrow + Flash + Doctor Who + Once Upon a Time, etc!!), you better believe I’m choosing this soup since I don’t have to watch it while it cooks – it basically makes itself! I also start a new job next week (ahh!), so this’ll be a great recipe to have cooking away while I’m at work, and I can easily trust Alex to complete it. 😉
Whenever we go to Chipotle and they ask me if I want black or pinto beans, I never want to choose between the two, since I love both pretty equally. With this soup, I made sure I didn’t have to make that decision by including both! I love extra beans to keep a soup nice and filling.
A little bit of lime juice and coriander give this soup a slight acidity and citrus taste, which pairs so well with the taco-style flavors. If it’s Taco Tuesday but you’re craving the warmth of a bowl of soup, make this instead! You won’t regret it.
What is your favorite dinner for cool fall nights?
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-4 oz. can chopped green chiles
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1-15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-15 oz. can of corn
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheddar
- sour cream
Place the chicken breast in the bottom of a slow cooker, and top with the onion, garlic, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Pour the chicken broth and diced tomatoes over top. Cover with the lid, and cook on low heat for about 6 hours, until the chicken is no longer pink.
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with a fork (or place the chicken into your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until it is shredded).
Once shredded, return the chicken back to the slow cooker, and add the black beans, pinto beans, corn, and lime juice, continuing to cook on low heat until the beans have heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy!
adapted from Cooking Classy