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HEALTHY CHICKEN "TORTILLA" SOUP

March 2019 | The Honest Spoon

I am going to cut straight to the chase- this post is more of a Public Service Announcement than a recipe. I have been making this for years and it involves some light chopping, can opening, and little else. If you have a crock pot or InstaPot you’re in luck.

Try it. You won’t be disappointed.

In the Fall and Winter months I often forget about this. It’s really a shame since it’s one soup that EVERYONE eats. My kids can be picky. But when I make this soup at Chez Honest Spoon everyone digs in. I did a little calculating, and without added toppings (like avocado and sour cream) this soup is only about 150 calories per serving, I know what you’re thinking- that’s LOW. It is low- and it’s a generous portion. You see, this soup is just chicken and veggies. No added fat. If you decided to add a tablespoon of sour cream (or Mexican queso fresco) and 1/8 avocado, you’d only be adding about 100 calories. Trust me when I say that it’s SO WORTH IT!!! There is just something spectacular about that cool sour cream and avocado juxtaposed to that warm and hearty soup. YUMMMMMMM.

You can easily adapt this for Keto, Whole30 and Paleo diets. All you have to do is replace the black beans and hominy/ cornwith more veggies. I am a big fan of Whole30 so I do this often and I LOVE it!! You can make a Whole30 “sour cream” by using the solid portion of coconut cream (I use Thai Coconut Milk, no liquid) and the juice of 1/4 lemon. It really helps if you pre-chill the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight or while your soup is cooking, Personally, I just stick with the avocado- I find it equally satisfying.

If your just looking for an easy soup, and you feel like a splurge, add some crispy tortilla strips or chip crumbles. That little texture contrast you get from the crunch is a nice compliment and really rounds out the dish. They also put the “Tortilla” in Healthy Chicken “Tortilla” Soup.

Let’s cook!!

PIN THIS RECIPE

HEALTHY CHICKEN “TORTILLA ” SOUP [DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN FREE]

| Makes 10 servings |

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

  • 1 zucchini, chopped small

  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 1 32 oz box chicken broth or stock

  • 1 can diced tomatoes

  • 1 can tomato sauce

  • 1 can black beans

  • 1 can hominy or corn

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

METHOD:

1. Add all ingredients, in listed order, to large capacity crock pot. Cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

OR

2. Add all ingredients, in listed order, to large capacity Instapot. Cook for 30 minutes.

Serve Hot. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sour cream, and avocado.

Leave your comments. I am interested to know what you think!!

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