Because I'm too busy to start a new blog, and too lazy to keep up with yet another social networking site, I'm gonna go a little crazy here and post a couple of recipes from time to time. Hopefully the non-corsety entries won't be too much of a distraction...
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
(based on a couple of recipes found on Pinterest, plus my own amalgamation)
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen or fresh)
- 32 oz chicken broth or stock
- 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 1 can black beans
- 16 oz jar chunky salsa *
- 4 oz can whole chiles (minced)**
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic (I probably used twice as much as this, but I love garlic, so use your discretion based on your garlic preference)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4-1/3 cup sour cream (optional)
- 10 oz package Spanish/Mexican rice (optional)
*All the recipes I found online called for canned stewed/crushed tomatoes. I didn't happen to have any on hand, so I used salsa instead. IMO, works just as well, and adds more flavor.
**You can use fresh peppers, or Ro-Tel. Again, I just used what I happened to have on hand.
Seasoning
(I never measure seasoning, so I'm just including a list of all that I used. Mix & match as desired.)
- Salt & Pepper
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Chili Pepper
- Cayenne Powder
Garnishes
- shredded cheese
- cilantro
- sour cream
- scallions
- corn or flour tortilla crispies
Preparation
- Place chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker. Add all ingredients to slow cooker, save for black beans sour cream, rice & garnishes
- Cook on low for about 7 hours. Remove chicken breasts & shred with forks, place back in cooker, add black beans & cook for another hour.
- (Optional) 30 minutes before serving, add sour cream to cooker. I prefer soups to be thicker/creamier, and the sour cream adds some creaminess without thickening it up too much (like a roux or corn starch would).
- (Optional) Cook up a package of Mexican or Spanish flavored rice. I served the soup over top of the rice, and it was a huge hit with everyone.
- To make the tortilla crispies - cut up a couple of small flour or corn tortillas into 1/4" strips, about 3" long. Heat up a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil, and fry the strips until crispy.
