Chicken Tortilla Soup

Fully knowing that Daddy-O doesn't care for soup of any kind—unless it's really cold outside—and he doesn't like cornbread at all, I made soup and cornbread for supper last night. It was an easier-to-ask-forgiveness kind of thing. Our high temp yesterday was 73 degrees. The winter storm that is pounding other parts of the country is a top story on TV. And I talked to Mommy and Little Sister this week. They were shopping for boots for Little Sister because they are expecting snow. So it IS soup weather—just not here. 

Daddy-O was a good sport about the supper. He ate the soup and cornbread without complaint. He just didn't have multiple helpings. I loved the soup. I put some in the freezer for those cold nights coming our way. (Now, I would eat soup in the summer time. It's one of my favorite things.)

This chicken tortilla soup is one of the easiest recipes ever.  Even more so, it you have cooked chicken in the freezer, like I did. Mommy told me that her church is having a soup lunch soon and she volunteered to take dessert, but she might have to take soup also. While we were talking, I could hear both little ones playing in the kitchen. It's a wonder she gets anything cooked! This would be a good recipe for the church soup lunch. It's quick to stir together and it doesn't take long to cook. Chopping the onion is the hardest part!

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2 cups water

14-oz. can low-sodium chicken broth

28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

10-oz. can mild enchilada sauce

4-oz. can chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic (I used the jarred kind)

2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken (that's about 2 chicken breasts)

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn (I like white corn)

1 small onion, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream and grated cheese 

Mix all ingredients (not the toppings) in a large saucepan. (My pan was the 4-1/2 qt. size.) Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with desired toppings.

You can make this soup earlier in the day to help you at the crazy time right before dinner. (We used to call it the "arsenic hour.")  You can even make it a day or two ahead. I put a quart in the freezer after supper last night and will have a "don't have to cook" meal ready for later. When I was in the midwest last spring keeping things together before Baby Girl was born, I sent a thermos of soup many times for Big Sister's school lunch. This would be a great cold school day lunch.

To make this a REALLY easy supper, you could use the meat from a deli rotisserie chicken, or even better, use your own frozen cooked chicken. I like to keep cooked chicken in the freezer. When chicken breasts are on sale, it's easy to cook and freeze some. After cooking I cut it in large chunks and put two chopped breasts, along with a little broth, in each freezer bag. Be sure to label and date!

I am hoping to start a section in the recipe index here of meals, like this one, that are good to take to someone is sick or has had a new baby. Can you help me think of a category title better than "meals-to-take-to-a-sick-friend"?