Chicken Tortilla Soup
You know, some people are really organized. They plan, they plot, they write things down and take notes. They prepare ahead of time and they know exactly what they are going to be doing on any given day at any given moment. I know this because I am the daughter of one of them and married to another.
As for me, though, I couldn’t be further from that whole “organization” scenario. I wake up and I think “Hmm, what am I in the mood to write about today?” Posts are never planned or written ahead of time, even though I really should. Sometimes I photograph them ahead of time and then just let the photos sit there until I’m in the mood to write about it. Sometimes I forget I photographed something and end up photographing the entire recipe twice before I actually bring it to you – which just gives me a chance to laugh at myself. You know, you just can’t go wrong having a good laugh at yourself from time to time.
Occasionally I have folks who want to know my blogging schedule or when I plan on running a particular recipe and such, and I guess they just have to live with the same thing my husband has to live with. Eventually people I work with “get” me and come to see that I’ve figured out how to make who I am work. I do feel for them though! The great thing is that it takes all kinds of people to keep the world spinning and just as folks like me would be lost without the organized folks, I think we just might keep things lively for the more structured among us. It is what is and you are who you are. Give yourself a break and enjoy being you!
So today, in my “What do I feel like writing about today” moment, I found myself wanting wanting chicken tortilla soup something fierce. Thankfully, I already had it photographed so I can bring it to you and then head on up to the grocery store and get what I need to make it for supper tonight.
I hope your day is sunny and bright. If not in weather terms, at least in terms of your disposition. Have a great day and if you have a minute, let me know what you’re cooking for supper tonight in the comments section! That’s always a fun conversation that inspires everyone!
Now don’t go running away at how many ingredients this has,
I promise it is going to be VERY easy to make!
You’ll need: Water, Chopped green chilies, enchilada sauce, crushed (or diced) tomatoes, chicken broth, corn, onions, chili powder, minced garlic, ground cumin, and some cilantro.
Whew, that really is a long list but seriously, it’s easy. I’m using frozen corn because it is what I had but canned is just fine. I use crushed tomatoes often because my husband is not so much a fan of tomato pieces in his soups and stews. Just work with this and make it fit your pantry and whatever you have on hand. The one thing you really are gonna need is the seasonings and the enchilada sauce to give it that flavor.
You’ll also need some cooked, shredded chicken and some corn tortillas.
A lot of times when I’m here by myself during the day I’ll run to the grocery store and grab a rotisserie chicken to eat a bit of for lunch. I cut off a little for me and then shred the rest to use in making a recipe like this for supper. A cooked rotisserie cost about the same as an uncooked fryer so it works out to be a pretty good deal!
Now comes the easy part.
We’re gonna dump everything in a pot.
Corn, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, green chilies…
Cumin
chili powder
cilantro
garlic
also toss in your chicken and your onion and..yeah so you get the idea.
Basically we are throwing everything in but the toppings.
Everything.
Dump it.
In a pot.
See? Easy!
and stir it up.
Place this on medium or medium high heat and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for thirty minutes.
Now we need to have our tortillas cut into strips and I’ve found the easiest way to do this for me is to just stack a few of them up and have at them with my pizza cutter.
We’re using corn tortillas here which some of y’all may remember I don’t particularly care for, but they are very good in this! This and the King Ranch casserole are the only times I go near the things, bless their little vegetable hearts.
Toss those in
and stir again
Now cook for about another ten minutes and it’s ready to serve!
Top with sour cream and cheese if you like (and I like!).
Serve in a pretty Jewel Tea Autumn Leaf bowl (okay, that isn’t a requirement but still..)
Enjoy !
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 14 ounce can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 c water and two bouillon cubes)
- 29 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 11 ounce can enchilada sauce
- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
- 2-3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (can use more if you like)
- 2 cups frozen corn (or 2 cans corn, drained)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-5 six inch corn tortillas
- Toppings: cheese, sour cream, etc for toppings
Instructions
- Dump everything except toppings and corn tortillas in a large pot. Place over medium to medium high heat and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer thirty minutes.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut each tortilla into thin strips. Place in soup and cook ten minutes more before serving.
- Serve soup with desired toppings. Great if made a day or two ahead of time to make get togethers easier!
Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Pluginhttp://www.southernplate.com/2010/09/chicken-tortilla-soup.html
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 14 ounce can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 c water and two bouillon cubes)
- 29 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 11 ounce can enchilada sauce
- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
- 2-3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (can use more if you like)
- 2 cups frozen corn (or 2 cans corn, drained)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-5 six inch corn tortillas
- Toppings: cheese, sour cream, etc for toppings
Instructions
- Dump everything except toppings and corn tortillas in a large pot. Place over medium to medium high heat and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer thirty minutes.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut each tortilla into thin strips. Place in soup and cook ten minutes more before serving.
- Serve soup with desired toppings. Great if made a day or two ahead of time to make get togethers easier!
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Sep 15 2010. Filed under Main Course, Soups and Stews.
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::drooooooooooooooool::
Our dinner for tomorrow .. thanx, Christy!
Your Jewel Tea bowl is familiar to my childhood. My mother has the whole set of that dinnerware. Plates, bowls, cups, saucer, etc. which I think is pretty but she never let us use it. We only could look at it. She still has it in her dinning room hutch. The soup sounds wonderful.
That looks delicious and our evenings are starting to be cool here in SE Ohio so soup weather is getting here. A bowl of soup, crusty bread and a dessert is fine eating.
dinner tonight is Chicken & Wild Rice casserole. Kind of like your Crock Pot Chicken & Wild Rice recipe but as a casserole. Its my favorite and my family’s.
Brandi,
Your chicken & wild rice casserole sounds great. Would you care to share your recipe?
Can’t wait to make the soup! Come on, Fall!
I can’t wait to try this once it finally cools off. Still in the mid 90′s with no cool weather in sight.
I can’t wait to try this once we can ever get some nice fall weather here in Tennessee. Sounds like a great recipe. I didn’t know you can buy a McCormick version of cilantro- definitely need to pick up one of those!
As for dinner, I am the most boring person today because we’re doing burgers on the grill. Well, like I mentioned it’s still summer weather here so we’re still pretty attached to the grill right now.
A burger on the grill is NEVER boring! It’s my favorite food of all time:)
well the plan was beef stew but now its enchilada soup, lol
Where is the audio?
The audio player is directly beneath the first photo in the post, up at the top. If you can’t see it, you might want to try switching browsers (I use firefox).
Hope this helps!
CJ
Homemade pizza is what’s for supper in Angie’s kitchen tonight.
Pretty chilly up here in Massachusettes so this receipe is what’s for dinner this weekend! (have to wait till then to get to the market!)
I made your chicken with Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice in the crockpot for Sunday dinner, so we’re having leftovers from that meal tonight along with some green beans from the garden. The tortilla soup looks delicious though!
I have looked a couple of times back through the ingredients but I don’t see how many corn tortillas to put into the soup. Am I overlooking it???
~waves~ Hi Sarah…Christy used 4-5, 6 inch tortillas in her recipe!
Tonite we’re having a menu that your Shipwreck Casserole inspired, Christy! I take part of the Jordan Rolls recipe rolled out into a rectangle, run a pizza cutter down the dough long-ways and bake so it resembles a ‘raft’ and serve a ‘tossed’ salad. Any one of your terrific desserts would go great…maybe Chocolate Cobbler!! Yum!!!
Tortilla Soup.. good stuff. I have no idea what I’m gonna cook tonight but I made cheeseburgers with sauteed onions for lunch. I made the onions last night because they take so long to cook down.
If my wonderful little orphan dog, Baby< doesn't calm down.. I may make some doggie biscuits.. made out of real doggie.. she's driving me nuts, lol.
I was just thinking today that I needed to make your recipe for doggie biscuits for some “furry” friends…not the real doggie ingrediant kind though!!!
This sounds so yummy but I don’t have the ingredients on hand.
So dinner tonight will by fried clams (which I DO have), with potato salad and French bread.
I have a similar recipe and wanted to share. If I need to cook this in the crock pot, I throw it all together turn it on high and throw in 2 (or how ever many you have or want) FROZEN chicken breasts. 4-5 hours later take two forks and shred the chicken, right there in the pot because it will just fall apart and stir in. Really good and convenient. See I’m not a great planner either and that’s a way I don’t have to remember to thaw my chicken breasts!!!! It’s a little cheat, hope it helps someone out! Just love your recipes Christy!
Yummm, this sounds good. I’m having surgery next week so I’m pre-cooking and freezing meals to have on hand. My husband is a doll about cooking but Lord love him he fries EVERYTHING. Sometimes I’ve got to have something that isn’t battered and fried… I’m going to make up a pot of this up to the toppings and freeze some and the King Ranch Casserole looks like its going in the freezer too. Some of this may not make it to the freezer, there may be servings missing, but I’ll never tell where they went.
Christy, Girl I wish you had posted this before I went to Panera for lunch. Can you guess what I had???? Yeah, it was Chicken Tortilla soup there’s has black beans in it also.
Dinner?? Well now if my plumber gets home at a decent time it will be grilled chicken breast with veggies and pasta.
Christy! It looks great, but I do not like green chili’s. I’m not a pepper fan at all…
What could I add in there instead?
Let’s just say there’s a method to your madness… and you do it so well!
I am cut from the same cloth. For the true Tex-Mex flavor you gotta use corn tortillas. What a yummy looking soup and we’re heading into soup weather (even though I also like soup in summer).
This sounds delish, but we are having breakfast for supper. Biscuits, sausage, cheese grits (even though I think grits go better with toast) and fresh fruit. Yum. And always quick on a Wednesday night when I need to have dinner done and cleaned up before we leave for church.
Thanks Christy, now I have audio.
For dinner tonight we are having leftovers of your cheesy chicken and corn casserole. We have had just about every casserole you have posted and I have canned 17 quarts of green beans by using your instructions. I”ve made your apple butter and peanut butter brownies and even used your peanut butter icing on a birthday cake (for me). My family can’t get enough of my cooking and baking now. I’ve been out of work since March and now all I do is cook and bake. I think they are going to be sorry if I ever find a job. Wish I could find a job staying home and doing this which is what I love. It’s going to be a lean Christmas this year but everyone is sure going to love the bread and jelly they will be getting from me since it will all be homemade. I love you and your site and you have brought me back to what I love most which is taking care of my family and making a real home for them. Before it was mostly takeout but not anymore. I plan on buying your cookbook so I’m stocking my pantry. Keep up the good work. I think you are my new best friend since all my extended family has passed.
Kathie, you are doing the most important “job” there is…taking care of your family and making home a warm, loving place for them! Everyone will love your gifts as they are from your hands and heart! Blessings to you!
Yum…will definitely be part of the plan for next week! As for tonight, spiral ham, baked macaroni and cheese, green beans and biscuits. Oh, yeah, I also have the 7-Up pound cake in the oven! ; )
Were having chili with cornbread tonight. I realize its still a little warm, but I’m also not a very good planner – even if I plan I usually change my mind. Were about to move, so I’m cooking according to what we have in stock. I call it operation empty the freezer ( I know, how original ).
The Tortilla soup looks yummy.
At my house tonight, we’re have fried pork cutlets with milk gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and green beans.
thinking of having breakfast for supper, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy…LOL! It is 95% out today so may wait for a good fall day if one ever comes here in Louisiana this year I will definately be trying this, I have heard of it but never tried it. Also didn’t know McCormick does cilantro, will definately see if I can find it as I don’t really like messing with fresh…LOL!
Mmm this looks good! You don’t say how many tortillas to put in the soup, I’m guessing about 4. Also I didn’t know you could buy dried cilantro, what does it taste like? I adore cilantro, it makes everything yummy. Love coriander too, which is cilantro seed! They taste quite different. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll make this soup soon but tonight my dude is going out with some friends so I’ll be home alone. Dinner alone means macaroni and cheese. Should I be ashamed that I’m 25 years old and still eat macaroni and cheese at every opportunity? My parents never made it when I was a kid but I figured out how to cook a box of Kraft mac and cheese when I was 6! Now I prefer to make it from scratch but still buy the Kraft stuff
Even “bad” mac and cheese is pretty good as far as I’m concerned.
Another one having breakfast for supper tonight – biscuits, gravy, bacon & eggs. Also, some of my fig preserves. Hubby having surgery tomorrow afternoon so no eating after midnight. This is what he requested so I will try to please.
Eating at church tonight.
Love, love, love Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Made the Apple Dapple Cake this past weekend, but used pears instead of apples… Big Hit!
Love your site Christy!
hmmm…dinner tonight will be roasted cauliflower and chicken with black beans and cheese. Sure wish I had the ingrediants for the Tortilla Soup..looks delicious!
Christy…I’m an organizer but I don’t get near as much done in a day that you do!!
Bountiful Blessings and an extra gentle hug to you today!
Tina,
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Oh another wonderful recipe Christy – just in time for autumn – your soup and your “fried” ice cream dish – a Mexican Fiesta for sure – am planning to use this for Friday nite football crowd!
Dinner tonight is crockpot stroganoff over Lipton noodles – or as my daughter used to say when she was your baby’s age…..momma’s got the crack pot out again
My Grandmother had those same JewelTea dishes. She used them on Sundays . What memories. I am going to make this recipe on Saturday when three of our eight grandchildren will be here.
Aw man, this looks sooo tasty. And I have all the ingredients already… except for corn tortillas! Can you substitute flour tortillas?
I don’t know for sure, but I’d be worried that the flour tortillas would cook up into dumpling-like blobs. If I didn’t have corn tortillas, I’d just leave them out and serve with Fritos scoops.
[...] that look? I’m the world’s biggest fan of soup. I was reading about a tortilla soup on Southern Plate and it got me thinking of a soup recipe that we kind of made up at our house that most adults have [...]
This sounds great!! I think I will make it next week when my son comes home from college, I have not seen him in over a month. Seems like forever. I can send some back to school with him to share. He is living in a house with 3 of his friends and they are taking turns doing the cooking!! Isn’t that just precious!!!! I may have to get him his own copy of your cookbook!! Your recipes are geared for anyone to make and I like that along with lots of other things about you!
Thanks for the great recipe!!
YUM! I’m bookmarking this and making it as soon as I can.
Tonight I’m going slightly out of my comfort zone with dinner. I’m making chicken in a creamy vodka sauce with pasta. I figure, if it doesn’t turn out well, I’ll have some leftover vodka to ease the pain
It’s a good thing that I didn’t see this yesterday or my oldest might not have gotten the meal she requested for the first night of her visit home from her internship in NY! (fajitas) But this might just be tonight’s dinner…your buttermilk biscuits for breakfast (that my husband labeled “the best biscuits EVER”) and tortilla soup for dinner. Turning into a Southern Plate kinda day! (And I am with you on corn tortillas. If everyone here likes the soup as much as I anticipate this will make only the third reason I can think of to ever buy those things!)
I’m definitely going to make this when the weather cools off a tad. Thanks for the great recipes!
We love Tortilla Soup but we don’t like what happens to the tortillas the next day. To avoid those soggy tortillas when we heat up our leftover soup…and it is always better the second and third day…we put crispy tortilla chips (slightly crushed) and the Monterrey Jack cheese in our bowls first and then ladle the hot soup over them…give it a little stir.
Each bowl has great chips and melty cheese. YUM!
Since I had most of the ingredients on hand, I made this yesterday and had friends over for supper. It was delicious– a big hit! And it was so simple to make, that I was able to enjoy the time with friends. We just dumped everything in the pot and let it simmer while we talked, and before we knew it– the soup was ready to eat, and so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit! I added a canned of black beans (drained and rinsed) and left out the chilis. Served with Dixie cornbread. Was pleasantly surprised that it made a lot – enough to feed my family of seven plus two friends plus took some across the street to my shut in neighbor.
I just found this blog and I LOVE IT! My Daddy and step mom lived in Fayetteville, TN for awhile and I loved that place. We would visit Huntsville from time to time and I’ve been to Madison once. Just wanted to sayagain how much I LOVE your blog and the great recipes. One question. On the Sawdust Pie. Would that need to be a deep dish pie shell? Thanks!
I just found this blog yesterday through Southern Living on Facebook. I LOVE it!! I just cooked the Chicken Tortilla Soup and it is best thing EVER! So yummy! I also just pre ordered your cookbook at Barnes and Noble and have plans to cook more of your stuff over the weekend. I am so glad I found you!
Made this last night for dinner and it was SO good. I just finished eating my leftovers today.
I left out the 2 cups of water and drained the juice of one of the cans of corn for a thicker consistency – more like a chili. Man was it delicious. I thought the Taco Soup recipe was my favorite, but this might have topped it.
Keep up the wonderful work!
Just made this last night. I just crushed the lime flavored tortilla chips over mine right before eating (there’s just two of us, and I was worried about the tortillas getting soggy). It was sooo good!
I took this to a church event last Sunday evening. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
[...] Christy at A Southern Plate posted chicken tortilla soup [...]
This is the best tortilla soup I have ever had!!! My family loved it!
I bought your cookbook today! I can’t wait to sit down and look through it!:)
This is my first visit to your blog – don’t know how I’ve gone all this time without stumbling upon it before, but I read about it in Southern Living Magazine and thought I should stop by for a peek. I like what I see!! I was going to make a version of this soup next week, but your recipe looks even more flavorful, so I’ll make it instead.
Great blog – can’t wait to peruse it some more!
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