Chicken Tortilla Soup With A Kick

Chicken Tortilla Soup With A Kick

 

Written by Kari @ Living Strong, Health & Wellness, Contributing Writer

It is October and it’s officially cooling down enough to try this great recipe, which is perfect for any chilly weather you might experience over these next few months!

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This belly warming soup is simple, quick and so delicious! All you need is a blender and a stock pot (or slow-cooker) and you’re set to make the most amazing tortilla soup you have ever had! You can keep this a mild meal or add some extra peppers to give it that kick that keeps you coming back for more!

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This is not only a favorite in our house, but in houses all over these wonderful states! I’ve shared this recipe over the years and then it was included in my cookbook – and it gets rave reviews every time! I have never found a restaurant that has a soup that compares to this! You definitely need to try it! I’ve taken the text from the cookbook to include allergen-free information as well as more tips to make it even healthier!

Chicken Tortilla Soup With A Kick:

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What you need:

  • 1 whole fryer chicken
  • 8 cups chicken broth (can make while cooking the chicken)
  • 16 ounces of diced tomatoes
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, cut in half
  • 2 cloves garlic – ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • 3 chipotle peppers soaked in adobe sauce
  • optional, 2 avocados
  • optional, ½ cup full-fat yogurt, plain
  • optional, tortilla chips
  • optional, shredded cheese

What you do:

  1. To prepare the stock and the chicken, plan to start preparing the meal in the morning.
  2. Cook the whole fryer by placing in a slow cooker, covering completely with water, adding seasonings and spices (salt, garlic powder, parsley, pepper) and cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. After 8 hours, remove the whole fryer from the slow-cooker using slotted spoons. Place in a bowl and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes. Begin removing the chicken from the bones and place on a plate. Pull the meat with two forks. This is your shredded chicken.
  4. Strain out the liquid in the slow-cooker into a bowl (if you’ll cook the soup in the slow-cooker) or stock pot (if cooking soup on the stove) to remove any large pieces of meat or bone that fell off the chicken (it gets super tender). If you used a bowl, once it’s strained, replace liquid back in slow-cooker.
  5. Separate about 1 ½ to 2 pounds of shredded chicken and add to the broth.
  6. In a blender, puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and honey until smooth.
  7. Pour this mixture in with the broth and chicken. Stir to combine.
  8. Add the chipotle peppers if you are wanting that kick to your soup. If not, omit.
  9. Continue cooking in the slow-cooker for about an hour and a half or on the stove-top over medium for 45 minutes.
  10. To serve, prepare the bowls by putting some avocado and yogurt in the bottom of the bowl. Crunch tortilla chips and place on top. Next, ladle the soup over the prepared bowls and top with shredded cheese. Wow, get ready!

 Yield: Approximately 14 cups

 I’m special because (if using “optional” ingredients, the allergy-free info below may change):

dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free

 Substitutions:

*Full-fat yogurt: full-fat sour cream

 Health Made Easy: 

if you’re short on time, you can purchase your broth, but make sure it’s organic and low-sodium | homemade broth will supply your body with so many nutrients that you’ll never get out of store bought brands, so choose homemade if possible | don’t have time to cook a whole fryer, purchase chicken thighs, bake and shred | use fire-roasted tomatoes or seasoned diced tomatoes | you don’t need to put all the optional extras in the bowl first, but boy does it sure taste good that way | store leftovers in glass mason jars in the fridge | if you use the chipotle peppers the soup will get spicier over a couple days | choose non-gmo tortilla chips

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

What is your favorite soup to keep you warm during the autumn and winter seasons?

About Kari

Kari Newsom is a Colorado native who is married to her best friend and they have two children, a turtle and a pug and they live on 5 acres in a small town in Colorado. As a Certified Health and Nutrition Consultant, her passion is to educate people on the realities of living in divine health through simple instruction found in the Bible and through traditions passed down through the centuries. Her motto states: "Health Made Easy. A Life Worth Living." and she is spending everyday fulfilling this ministry God has given her. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, her Blog and Pinterest.

Comments

  1. This sounds so delicious! With the weather finally getting ready to cool off a bit here, I’ve started collecting up some new soup recipes to add to some of our favorites. I’ve already got some delicious herb-infused chicken broth in the freezer just waiting for a great recipe like this. It would probably smell amazing as it slowly simmers all day long…I’m looking forward to giving it a try soon. Thanks for sharing.

    • It smells AMAZING! And it makes so much you get to have leftovers and you can even freeze some! I hope you like it. It really has become a favorite with my family and our friends as well. Nothing like this to warm you up on a cold day!