This post comes to us courtesy of Kristen at The Wandering Abode. Her blog is fantastic – be sure to check it out, and enjoy the recipe below!
For the first five years of our marriage, my husband and I lived in a little town on the Texas/Mexican border. It was quite a change for us from the cornfields of the Midwest where we had grown up. However, we grew accustomed to the lifestyle there and found some eateries around town that we truly loved. One of these places had the most amazing tortilla soup. Many days that we headed out for lunch we’d find ourselves at this little place ordering up a big bowl of the chicken tortilla soup. It was hearty and warm with just the right amount of spice to make us sweat a bit in the Texas heat.
When we moved away from Texas, I found myself truly craving our regular soup place. Our diets had grown a bit by then, though, and we were cooking things that were healthier and tended to be on the vegetarian or even vegan side of the spectrum. I did still want to recreate the recipe that we had grown to love in our old town and find a place for this amazing soup in our dinner rotation. After much trial and error, I think I may have just found a way to make the soup at home just as good as it was in that little restaurant on the border.
This recipe can be made with chicken or as a vegan option as well. It’s so easy since all that needs to be done is to remove the chicken and substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth. The soup is already packed with veggies and hearty beans so there’s no need to worry about getting in some protein or adding in any ingredients. All you need is in there! Now, are you ready for the best part? It all can be made in the slow cooker!
I’m a huge fan of the slow cooker for dinners. If you don’t have one, though, you could always just use a large stockpot and let it all simmer together on the stove for 30-45 minutes. The recipe really couldn’t be easier since you’re really just throwing it all into the pot. There’s minimal prep work involved, so before you know it you’ll have an amazing dinner on your hands. Enjoy!
Tortilla Soup.
Ingredients.
2-3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (Frozen chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or frozen grilled chicken pieces all work fine. This ingredient is optional.)
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes and green chile peppers
10 oz can mild enchilada sauce
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz can chicken or vegetable broth
14 oz can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans if using dried)
10 oz package frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
2-3 tsp dried cilantro
1 cup water (optional)
Directions.
Place all ingredients in slow cooker. If needed, add a cup of water to cover the ingredients. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours. If using frozen chicken, once the chicken is cooked through (usually with about 1-2 hours left on high), take out of the slow cooker and shred with a fork. Place shredded chicken back in the slow cooker for the remainder of the cooking time.
Remove the bay leaf and serve with rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, and broken tortilla chips.
Images by Kristen King
Crowded Earth Kitchen 
Blue-corn chips, Bäm!