Chef Jeff: Chicken Enchilada Soup

I told Kim I would handle dinner on Saturday, and I found a recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup that was super simple (even for this guy) and was very tasty! The best part is I have wanted to use our crock-pot for a long time, and this was the perfect time to make a soup on a cold winter day (with snow in the forecast).

My wife has been great about creating a stockpile of items we use a lot (black beans, chicken, corn, etc), so this was the perfect recipe. We had never used chipotle chili's in adobo sauce, so it was fun to try something new. We also opted not to use avocados as they are a bit pricey this time of year. The chicken we had was more than the recipe called for, so I ended up adding 4 cups of chicken stock (instead of 3) and used most of a 15 ounce can of tomato (instead of 8 oz). I also added a bit more of the chili sauce than the recipe called for.

Here is the recipe I used:

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
•  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• fat free sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro.