A friend in Birmingham, Alabama shared this recipe with me. It's simple, delicious, and perfect for a chilly winter day! You can put all the ingredients in the crockpot and forget about it!
This is another one of those recipes where you can empty out the fridge. You can add ANY veggie to this soup!
Or, if you're like me and you enjoy the act of chopping and cooking, then you can prepare the soup this way...
Chicken Taco Soup
1 lb. chicken
1 onion
1 bell pepper - diced
2 carrot stalks -diced
2 stalks celery- diced
3 cloves garlic
3 chipolte peppers in adobo sauce (optional...I like it HOT!)
I can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
2 cans white corn drained and rinsed
1 packet chili mix
1 packet of Ranch Dressing mix
1 box Low Sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup of low fat cream cheese
1 lime
olive oil
Coat chicken in olive oil, salt and pepper and a little of the chili mix. Brown in large dutch oven on medium/ high heat. DO NOT COOK THE CHICKEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH! Remove chicken, place in a large bowl, then take two forks and shred chicken. It will be pink inside! This is ok. We are going to cook it further.
In dutch oven, saute onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add chipotle peppers in adobo. I salt and pepper this mixture, and I go EASY ON THE SALT. You will add 2 packets of premixed spices that have plenty of salt for this entire dish.
Pour all beans and corn into a colander and rinse. Then add to dutch oven. Add can diced tomatoes. Pour in chili mix, Ranch dressing mix, chicken stock and bring to a low boil. Once the mixture is boiling, add the shredded chicken. Let it boil on low for 10 minutes.
Turn down the heat to a simmer, and add fresh lime juice and cream cheese. You must stir the cream cheese really well to get it all incorporated.
I serve this with a little cheese on top. Because I'm on South Beach, I have removed the multi-grain chips from the recipe. But a few won't hurt ya! ;) And this soup freezes really well! Enjoy!
