I’ve never been much of a soup person. Actually, my family doesn’t much care for soups. I appreciate a good soup on occasion, but it’s just not something that goes into our regular rotation here.

Chicken Tortilla Soup, however, has gained our attention. It’s been passed around to several people in my family, who insist on having the recipe after enjoying a bowl. And it’s so incredibly easy to make, it’s no wonder it has kind of become a staple for us. I think it’s a great soup on its own, but what really makes it stand out are the garnishments – sour cream, shredded cheese, and crunched up tortilla or corn chips (so don’t skimp on those).

This recipe was adapted from one I received at a Pampered Chef freezer meals workshop I attended a couple of years ago. If you want to prepare ahead of time for freezing, assemble the ingredients and divide into two gallon-sized freezer bags (or equivalent-sized containers) and place in the freezer; the only additional step would be to place the bags in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. You could also make a smaller portion by cooking half and freezing the other half for later (using only one freezer bag); each half yields about 4 bowls of soup.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
• 1/2 Sweet Onion, chopped (you can also use frozen chopped onion)
• 2 c. Frozen Sweet Corn
• 1-1/2 c. Chicken Broth
• 2 – 10 oz. can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles (Original or Mild)
• 1 – 16 oz. can of Dark Red Kidney Beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 – 15 oz. can of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1- 15 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
• 3 Tbs. Taco Seasoning (or 1 packet of pre-made seasoning mix)
• 3 Tbs. Ranch Dressing Mix (or 1 packet of pre-made seasoning mix)

Garnishments:

• 1-2 c. Shredded Cheddar (I prefer Sharp Cheddar, but use what you like)
• 1 c. Sour Cream (full fat – none of that low-fat jazz here)
• 1 bag Tostitos, Fritos, or similar crunchy taco-style chip
• Sliced green onions, if desired (I rarely use these, but they are a great addition)

What to do:

1. Open your cans and drain and rinse your beans (if you haven’t already done so).
2. Dump your broth and tomato sauce into a large crockpot.
3. Add in the Ro*Tel tomatoes.
4. Because I’m horrible at prepping my ingredients appropriately, this is where I would chop the onion. If you’re better than me at this, go ahead and add the onions and skip to Step 5. Fun Fact: When my recipe only calls for half of an onion, I typically go ahead and chop or slice the other half, scrape it into a freezer bag, and toss it into the freezer. For most recipes, you can interchange frozen and fresh chopped onion, so I’m always rotating through this stash. Add the chopped onion.
5. Add the beans, corn, and seasonings to the crockpot.
6. Stir mixture to blend ingredients.
7. Add the chicken breast halves and submerge slightly into mixture.
8. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
9. Shred chicken (you can usually do this easily with two forks, or even a wooden spoon).
10. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each with a handful of crushed up chips, shredded cheese to your liking, and a dollop of sour cream.
11. Enjoy the explosion of textures and flavors in your mouth!

This soup does wonderfully re-heated, as well. If I make a full batch, we eat up the leftovers for lunches for the next couple of days. I have also drained some of the brothy part of the soup and scooped the meat mixture onto some Spanish rice and mixed in the garnishments for a sort of Tex-Mex dish. This recipe has a lot of versatility, which has helped its staying power in our home. Just be prepared to share the recipe!