Why I like this…
I first developed this recipe back when I was doing food demonstrations as a meal that could be put together in a few minutes. Leveraging jarred salsa adds a depth of flavor with minimal effort. To make it a more “complete” meal, additional vegetables and beans were added to the mix. Topped it with avocado, you’ve got a fully balanced meal in one bowl. If you are looking to make it even faster, use precooked chicken like that off of a rotisserie chicken.
In the recipe provided, I’ve added a sprinkle of cheese, but this and the chicken could be omitted, and the vegetable stock could be used instead of chicken stock to make it vegan/vegetarian-friendly.
Why it matters…
Often, my clients come to me saying they don’t have time to cook or that it’s too complicated. This soup is a complete meal with 4 grams of healthy fat, 24 grams of fiber, and 38 grams of protein per serving. Rich in potassium and vitamin A, it comes together quickly and is perfect to bring to work the next day as a leftover.
Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup
6
servings15
minutes30
minutes483
kcalIngredients
2 Tbsp 2 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium 1 Yellow onion chopped
4 Cloves 4 Garlic (minced)
4 Cups 4 Chicken Broth
1 3/4 Cups 1 3/4 Salsa
1 Lb 1 Chicken breast (2 medium or leftover baked or rotisserie chicken)
15 Oz 15 Black Beans (if canned, drain before adding)
1.5 Tsp 1.5 Chili Powder
1.5 Tsp 1.5 Ground Cumin
1 Tsp 1 Paprika
1 Tsp 1 Italian seasoning
1/2 Tsp 1/2 Salt (or omit if using prepared stock)
1/3 Cup 1/3 Cilantro
1.5 Tbsp 1.5 Lime juice
4 Whole 4 Carrots (chopped)
4 Stalks 4 Celery (sliced)
1 Whole 1 Avocado (diced)
1 Can 1 Green chili peppers (4 oz)
1 Whole 1 Lime cut into wedges for serving
Directions
- Preheat a pot or Dutch oven with olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery and saute until vegetables are softened.
- Add cut chicken pieces and cook until slightly browned.
- Add chicken broth, salsa, beans, green chilies, paprika, chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 mintues or until the chicken i just cooked through and easy to shred.
- Break chicken pieces with fork, or shred.
- Serve the soup garnished with some diced avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedges. You can also sprinkle a bit of low-fat cheese on it for additional flavor. Although this is tortilla-less soup, you can crumble a few tortilla chips on the top to get the taste without adding too much to it.