Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup that is restaurant delicious (or better!), accidentally healthy, easy to double/triple for a crowd, freezer friendly and tastes like it's been simmering for hours but on your table in 30 Minutes! 

This Chicken Tortilla Soup is almost dump and run for the ideal easy weeknight dinner or fabulous for crowds. It's warm and comforting, hearty, savory, filling, and healthy, requires minimal effort (seriously one of the easiest soups you will ever make) and is destined to become a new family favorite!

Soup - 8 to 10 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
1 medium onion chopped
1 poblano pepper chopped*
1 red bell pepper chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp EACH chili powder, ground cumin, chicken bouillon powder*
1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
2 15 oz. cans fire-roasted tomatoes not drained
1 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can sweet corn rinsed and drained
1 10 oz. can mild enchilada sauce
6 cups low sodium chicken broth

ADD LATER

• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/3 chopped cilantro

Homemade Tortilla Strips

• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
• salt

Garnish

• fresh cilantro
• sour cream
• avocado
• lime
• hot sauce
• cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (for tortilla strips).
2. Melt olive oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and poblano peppers and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
3. Add all remaining Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients (except ADD LATER). Cover soup and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium-low (or low if your stove runs hot). Simmer 20-25 minutes OR just until chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove chicken and let rest 5 minutes then shred.
4. Add chicken back to pot along with lime juice and cilantro. Taste and season with additional salt/lime juice/cayenne to taste. Stir in additional chicken broth if you would like a less chunky soup.

Recipe Notes

*This soup has a medium kick to it which I think will be perfect for most people. If you are very sensitive to spice or want to make this very kid friendly then substitute the poblano with a green bell pepper and decrease the chili powder to 1 teaspoon.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER

1. Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray and add chicken.
2. Add all remaining Chicken Tortilla Soup ingredients except cilantro, lime juice and tortilla strips and give the top ingredients a stir to combine.
3. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
4. Remove chicken to a cutting board, shred chicken and return chicken to slow cooker along with cilantro and lime juice and cook on LOW for 10 minutes so the chicken can soak up more flavor.
5. Stir in additional chicken broth for a less chunky soup if desired and season with salt/pepper/hot sauce to taste.
6. Top individual servings with desired garnishes.

For step by step directions, this recipe comes from;

CarlsbabCravings.com

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas will also freeze very well and they're pretty simple to make.  To freeze, just go through all the directions up to adding the sauce back over the tortillas — that way, when you defrost, they aren’t all soggy.  Just freeze the enchiladas and the sauce separately and you’ll be good to go.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic minced
1 can enchilada sauce 1 1/2 cups, I use Mild
kosher salt to coat the chicken
ground black pepper to coat the chicken
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese divided
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro roughly chopped, divided
2-4 tbsp vegetable oil for quickly frying the tortillas
12 6- inch corn tortillas
cooking spray
optional: sour cream for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the minced garlic to the enchilada sauce in a deep skillet and heat to boiling. Generously sprinkle kosher salt and ground black pepper over the chicken breasts and then nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce, set aside and let both the chicken and the sauce cool.
3. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts by holding one fork steady and slowly scraping the other fork, prongs faced backwards, away from the other fork (see picture above). Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl. Add half the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup each of the Monterrey jack and cheddar cheeses and the 1/2 cup of cilantro to the shredded chicken. Stir to combine.
4. Lightly fry each tortilla quickly in a skillet using 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil. Quickly pat dry and then roll as directed.
5. Using cooking spray (or olive oil), grease a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture along the center of the tortilla. Gently, but firmly, roll the tortilla around the filling and place into the baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
6. Lightly spray the exposed tortillas with cooking spray (or brush lightly with olive oil). This will help the tortillas turn golden in the oven and will also help keep them from cracking. Place baking dish in the oven, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the tortillas begin to turn golden.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro. Lightly cover baking dish with aluminum foil and place into the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil after 20 minutes and bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
8. Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes prior to serving. Feel free to add a dollop (or two!) of sour cream and some more chopped cilantro for a garnish if you'd like.

Enjoy!



This shredded chicken enchiladas recipe comes from the Blog, A SWEET PEA.

https://www.asweetpeachef.com/

The Best Nachos

This recipe comes from Garlic My Soul Recipe Blog.

Everyone loves Nachos, right?

I know I do!   ~Shelly

Type: Appetizer, Quick Meals  

Author: Jennie

Oven Temperature: Broil°   

Difficulty: Easy  

Prep Time: 10 minutes  

Cook Time: 6 minutes  

Servings: 3-4  

Ingredients

• 1 bag your favorite tortilla chips
• 2 cans black beans
• 1 block cheese, shredded (we used Tillamook Sharp Cheddar)
• 1 jalapeño, diced         
• 1 cup fresh pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 ripe avocado, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil setting - high. Disperse chips evenly across a baking sheet.
2. Drain black beans of excess water and spread evenly over chips.
3. Shred cheese and cover entire chip/bean operation liberally.
4. Place tray on top rack of oven and broil for 2-3 minutes - keep close watch!
5. Rotate, then broil for another 2-3 or until cheese is melted and chips are browning.
6. When the cheese is melted to your liking, remove from oven.
7. Top liberally with pico, avocado, and sour cream for dipping.

Ground Beef Enchiladas

These Ground Beef Enchiladas are so tasty and easy, you’ll never go back to canned enchilada sauce. Corn tortillas filled with flavorful ground beef, melty cheese and a killer homemade red enchilada sauce.

This beef enchilada recipe is really so simple, that you might have all the ingredients you need already on hand. Start with a pound of extra lean good quality ground beef. I prefer to sauté the onions and jalapeños, then add the garlic just before adding the ground beef. This brings out the flavors of the aromatics. A small amount of sugar balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.

How to Make Beef Enchiladas – Time Saving Tip!

Prepare as much as you can ahead, dice and shred and have everything laid out. Once you have everything prepared, set up an assembly line to make the enchiladas. In this enchilada recipe, the beef and sauce is cooked together in one pot. For assembly, rather than separating the meat and the enchilada sauce, I use a slotted spoon to spoon the meat mixture into each tortilla, then top with cheese and roll. Once the beef has been evenly divided into the tortillas, use the remaining sauce in the pan to top the enchiladas and bake.

Good Quality Spices and Fresh Herbs

I love the flavor of cilantro, but if you don’t you can certainly skip it. For freshness, try chopped fresh parsley instead. I also like the extra flavor of smoked paprika in this recipe, but you can substitute regular paprika as well.

Frying the Tortillas for Enchiladas

In a small frying pan, lightly fry tortillas in a shallow amount of vegetable or canola oil. You just want the tortillas to be soft and pliable, not crispy. Lightly frying the corn tortillas prevents them from getting soggy once you bake the enchiladas. The oil acts as a barrier and keeps tortillas from absorbing too much liquid from the sauce.

Beef Enchiladas Recipe

The best part of this recipe is that it’s easily doubled or tripled. It’s a great dinner to make and take. Make one for home and one for a friend or neighbor. These beef enchiladas freeze really well too! Just assemble, let cool completely, cover tightly and freeze.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus additional for frying tortillas
• 1/2 cup onion finely diced
• 1 jalapeno minced and seeds removed
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound 93/7 lean ground beef
• 1 cup beef broth low sodium
• 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce good quality
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• 12 corn tortillas
• 16 oz Colby-jack cheese shredded
• sour cream for serving

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions and jalapeño over medium low heat until onions start to soften and turn translucent, 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Increase heat and add ground beef to skillet and brown until cooked through. Add beef broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, sugar, cumin, salt and pepper to pan and stir to combine. Let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until sauce has reduced slightly. 
2. Meanwhile in a second smaller skillet, lightly fry corn tortillas in hot vegetable oil. Tortillas should still be pliable for rolling. Set tortillas aside with paper towels between each layer. Once sauce has reduced slightly, stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
4. To assemble enchiladas, start by adding 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce mixture in bottom of baking pan. Use a slotted spoon to evenly divide meat mixture into each of the tortillas, then divide 8 oz of cheese between all 12 enchiladas, roll and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
5. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through and hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream.

This recipe comes from Melissa at;

number-2-pencil.com