Well friends, winter has descended upon New England… and it is downright bitter outside! But, I’m completely ok with that since it means it’s also soup season! (I’m somewhat of a soup-a-holic.) I currently have one of my all-time favorite soups simmering in the crockpot, and the aroma is making me wish it was already dinnertime. Chicken Tortilla Soup has been an all-time favorite since I first discovered it at a local Mexican restaurant many moons ago. Since then, I’ve moved and the restaurant has gone out of business… leaving me to recreate the magic here at home. There’s been a lot of trial and error, but I’ve finally found a recipe that lets me create the soup here… and it’s a regular in our winter meal planning.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup {Recipe adapted from this one.}

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I prefer the petite diced kind!)
  • 1 10 oz. can of mild enchilada sauce
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp of minced garlic from the jar… which is what I use!)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 14.5 oz. can of chicken broth (or make your own using Mrs. Bee’s recipe!)
  • 3 tsp. cumin, divided
  • 3 tsp. chili powder, divided
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder or garlic salt
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 10 oz. package of frozen corn
  • Toppings of your choice: cilantro, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, or diced avocado

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375. Mix together 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. chili powder and 2 tsp. garlic powder (or garlic salt). Place chicken on baking sheet, drizzle on some olive oil, then sprinkle seasoning mix over the chicken. I’m pretty liberal with the seasonings since it adds a good dose of flavor. Cook until done… about 20-25 minutes. Take out of the oven and shred with two forks. Note: I always do this step the night before and always make extra for easy sandwich and salad options during the week. I then put the shredded chicken in the refrigerator until the next day.
  2. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, bay leaf, and the remaining cumin and chili powder (1 tsp. of each). Stir in corn. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
  3. That’s it! Remove the bay leaf, then add in your favorite toppings right before serving. As you can see, blue corn tortillas and diced avocado are my preferred toppers!

{If you are worried your little one won’t enjoy this, it’s easy to modify for them. Just save some of the shredded chicken in the fridge, then whip up a plate with that along with the diced avocado and some of the corn and tomatoes (drained).}

I hope this helps warm up your cold winter evenings!