The only thing I like better than Indian food is Mexican food.
Depending on the day.
On this MLK Day, I am celebrating equality Mexican-style with soup. After seeing Jenn’s Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, I was craving a batch. Alas, I have no crock-pot and I can’t follow a recipe. This is what resulted:
It’s hearty. If you like a soupier-sopa, you should add more broth. I happen to get angry when I order soup it’s 75% liquid. It’s also spicy. If you are sensitive to that sort of thing, you might leave out a jalapeno.
Veggies in soup are almost as good as roasted veggies to me. I love the way they absorb so much of the flavors in the broth. Same goes for the chicken! Speaking of chicken*… if you’re looking for a shortcut you can just buy a plain rotisserie chicken to shred up in this fiesta. Not that I’ve ever done that… 😉
*This would also be tasty with tempeh or TVP if you’re looking for a meat-free option!
Topped with avocado, cottage cheese, and cilantro, it’s so delicious you won’t even care the recipe made so much* you’re eating it for an entire week.
*It is also tasty from the freezer.
Mexican Chicken Soup
- 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts (~20oz)
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 quarts low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 (14.5 oz ) can fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed
- 1 C kidney beans
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts on a pan. Lightly rub with olive oil. Bake 25-30 mins, or until 170 degrees. When the chicken is cool enough to handle shred the meat. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, jalapeno, celery, carrot, and red peppers and cook over medium heat for ~10 minutes, or until onions begin to brown. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add stock, tomatoes, beans, spices, and cilantro. Allow soup to come to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 25 mins. Add the shredded chicken and adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve soup with your choice of garnishes. I used avocado, Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro.
Makes 10 servings.
***
Happy MLK Day! Cheers to equality. And being Marvelous.
Do you have a crock-pot?
Did you get the day off? What are you doing with it?
This looks delicious. I finally got a crock pot this past year. I don’t use it a ton since I don’t eat a ton of meat and I feel like all the recipes I see are for meat-based dishes. But it is quite convenient. Yay for a day off!
Really? I’ve seen some good bean versions. I have the most envy when I see people do baked oats or cakes in them though.
I am so making this! YUM!
Awesome! Let me know what you think!
Mmm, I love Mexican chicken soup, even though I now use fake chicken or other substitute. I first made it years ago when I was actually married to a Mexican man (a part of my life I’ve not yet, nor probably ever will, blogged about 🙂 )
Your recipe looks delicious. I haven’t made it for a while, would love to try your version.
Have you used Beyond Meat? I heard its really good.
I have tried Beyond Meat. It’s good. I don’t use too much fake chicken anymore, but it’s a good choice.
I need to try this soup, it looks like the perfect warming remedy 😀
Cheers
CCU
It really was! I need more today – it’s so cold!
MY KIND OF SOUP!!! Seriously, I refuse to have any soup unless its like 5% liquid..which may defeat its purpose. (Miso and Tom Yum at restaurants are the exceptions!)
I have a crockpot which I use to make beef barbacoa. So good!
I won’t even make an exception for miso. Skip that and bring my protein, bro!
This is my kind of soup! Yum! I could easily replicate it in the crockpot.
LOL! Re-engineering my re-engineering. Love it 😉
Wow. I love all the spices used in this recipe. Looks awesome!
YUMMMMOOO very similar to the soup I made last week and it was awwwwesome.
I’m pretty sure my slow cooker is my favourite cooking appliance…it’s a useful thing to have. But clearly, you can make fabulous soup without it 😉 i’ve actually been craving Mexican the last few days, so I’ve got enchiladas on the plan for tonight.
sounds AMAZING! i love soup and i love mexican food – perfect combo!
Chicken, tomato and avocado is one of my favorite combos right now… looks delish!
Those are one of my favorite combos ever. 🙂
I never use my slow cooker and it’s a fairly nice one. I always either over or under cook everything. Guess I should follow a recipe. And I am super jealous of everyone who has today off. It would be nice to have had one more day to get everything done that I put off yesterday 😉
the perfect winter food! (and it looks pretty easy to make aka I can do it!)
Really easy! Good for when you’re under the weather too. Hope youre staying warm, mamma!
Oh this looks fabulous! Love Mexican flavors…especially in soup form!
OMG that looks good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crap, I am too lazy! 😉
I love me some crockpot meals!!!
Love Mexican foods! This soup, or more like a stew it seems sounds so good! My mom makes the best chicken tortilla soup but I haven’t had it in a long time.
Stew… duh. Where were you when I was naming this??? 🙂
My crock pot is lovingly referred to as my “sister-wife” because I love it so freaking much! I just made a huge batch of beef chili yesterday and I might make a batch of chicken chili today. 🙂
Haha – that’s what I’m going to start calling my Vitamix. 😉
I can’t believe with how much I love mexician food I have never made this kind of soup, I always like to order it at restaurants though
You should try it! It’s been great to have in this ridiculous cold.
I have a crock-pot and I’ve had success using it, but I forget about it a lot since it’s stored deep in the back of my cabinets. I prefer to make meals without like this one, which looks amazing!
Mexican is one of my favorites too….along with Indian, Persian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Italian…oh who am I kidding, I just love food!!
Haha – I am similarly afflicted. 😉
I don’t get the day off, but apparently by body decided I need a day off. I’m trying my best to hydrate, overdose on vitamin C, and rest up so I can get healthy again fast. Worst. sick person. ever.
Has Kirk tired you to the bed yet? (I mean that in the clean, forced-resting sense…)
He basically did that! Wouldn’t even let me study NASM materials until like 3pm (and that had to be in bed!). I’m so happy to be back at work today!!
People who have to leave out jalapenos are the worst.
You really need to get yourself a crockpot … you won’t regret it! So fun, easy, and makes big batches so you can freeze things easily. This soup looks delicious, and similar to something I make a lot which often involves tossing in whatever random veggies I have around the house + chicken + spices :). Your spice blend looks better, though!
It’s really more of a storage issue. My kitchen is small!
you know my husband is obsessed with mexican food, flavors, etc. I think we was deprived growing up in NZ. Although they do have amazing thai and indian food there.
An old co-worker moved to AUS and was amazed by the lack of Mexican!
This sounds awesome!!! And side note – how do you not have a crockpot?!?! I can’t live without mine!
No more room! Plus I’m more of a roast-er.
This looks delicious!!
I’m a little sad that you don’t have a crock pot – I wish you lived near me – I would give you one (I have several because I love them!!!).
Thank you, but I wouldn’t have the room! Maybe some spring cleaning is on order…
I love the flavors in this, which isn’t surprising because I also loved Jenn’s soup. I am a fan of liquid based soups, but the Hubby is like you, so my soups always end up somewhere in the middle. It’s all about compromise, and apparently happy marriages are based on hearty soups. Or Mexican flavors. 😉
I’m spending today laying low by the fire with my iPad (see I told you I’d take it easy one day), while the Hubby tries to fix my computer (gulp; this is not the reason I’m taking it easy either; cough, cough).
This is Meghan, not anonymous. Doh! Although come to think of it, anonymous sounds rather scandalous.
You are such a scandalous creeper…
Well since I work for myself I could take the day off, but not. Too much to do 😉 Gary did not have off so he is in the office.
Do have a crock pot, and only used it a few times to make bone broth and cook brisket. I need to start using it more
Mmm … looks like what I’d call a winter ‘immunity soup’, but with all those lovely extra flavours on top!
I like that name! 🙂
writing down to meal plan for this week! Good thing I am not heading to the store until tomorrow!
Awesome! Please let me know what you think!
I have no Crock Pot – but I guess I can cook this combo up without it and it would still be delicious. SPeaking of which, I haven’t had Mexican food in MONTHS!!! Not acceptable.
I love that vibrant green cilantro!
Ugh, one of these days I’ll get my act together and use my crock pot more than ONCE a year! Haha! And I keep saying that I’m going to make soup…since my ass is FREEZING (no, literally…I just warmed a Quest bar that was in my lunchbox next to my cooler pack by sitting on it for five minutes! Ha!)…anyWHO, back to soup…yeah, I need some! Mail it to me? 😉
My ass is freezing too! NOT the time to do a juice cleanse. I think hot tea is allowed…
On my day off, I had a baby. 🙂
Actually, I didn’t really have the day off for MLK day, but I had a baby anyway.
Too bad it wasn’t Labor Day. Hahaha!
Oh my goodness, this soup looks so good! It has so many colors and the flavors sound really good together. I have to differ from you on the Indian vs. Mexican food thing though, lol! I think I’d rather have curry than a taco. Maybe I should make curried tacos…. hmmm. Strange but good?!
You are on to something there! I’m going to try that one. 🙂
This looks AMAZING! Pinned- i’ll be making it soon!
xx Kait