Thick and Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Cozy season is upon us, and for my money there’s no better way to celebrate than with a nice warm bowl of soup. Specifically, this Chicken Tortilla Soup made with Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Chilies. This soup is warm and hearty and comforting. It’s made with a little bit of spice, and a whole lot of flavor.
There’s just something about a big bowl of soup, right? From the minute the weather turns chilly, all the way through the middle of April, there’s almost nothing I would rather eat than soup. I am not a huge fan of canned soups – they tend to be bland while at the same time being packed with sodium. I much prefer to make my own soup where I can control the quality of the ingredients.
I use Red Gold tomatoes because I like knowing where my food is coming from. All Red Gold tomatoes are grown on one of 40 family-owned farms across the Midwest. Since that’s my neck of the woods, I’m practically shopping local when I buy Red Gold.
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Recipe Notes
Flavor: this soup is full of Tex-Mex flavors like chili powder, cumin and green chilis. If you like a Chicken Tortilla Soup, this is the one for you.
Texture: thick and hearty with a bit of texture from the corn, Chicken Tortilla Soup is a lovely contrast of textures. It’s warm and savory and perfect for a cold night at home!
Ease: depending on how you make it, this soup is incredibly easy and comes together in a snap. The key to a quick make is to use a rotisserie chicken, and just tear that up. The good part there is you can use light or dark meat, or a combination of both. If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, you can just boil chicken breasts or thighs with a little bit of cumin, salt and pepper for 10-15 minutes and then shred that.
Ingredients Needed
- Yellow onion
- Green pepper
- Vegetable Oil
- Chicken Broth
- Cooked chicken breast or thighs (or use a rotisserie chicken for maximum efficiency)
- Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
- Frozen Corn
- Black Beans
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Red Gold Tomato Paste
- Cornmeal
- Water
Tips and Tricks
After sautéing the onions and peppers, add the tomato paste and spices and allow them to toast a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients. This will deepen the flavor of the soup, and goes a long way into making people think you slaved over the stove for hours rather than just a few minutes.
My favorite toppings for this soup are tortilla strips, pickled red onion, avocado, cheese and cilantro, but you could add pico de gallo, diced red onion, or sour cream. It would all be delicious.
If you want to make your own tortilla strips, you can do so by cutting corn or flour tortillas into thin strips. Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat and add a handful of tortilla strips at a time and cook until they get browned and crispy. Using tongs, remove them to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt, lime juice, and chili powder.
FAQ's
Do I have to use green pepper? Absolutely not! I actually used red peppers when I made this recipe because that’s what I prefer. You could also substitute a poblano pepper for a little bit of smokey heat or add jalepenos or serranos to the bell pepper for some extra heat.
Where can I find Red Gold Tomatoes with Green Chilis? Follow this link to buy! You can also find them at your local Kroger or Meijer.
What does the cornmeal do, and do I need to add it? The cornmeal acts as a thickener, and it’s not strictly necessary, but if you leave it out, you’ll end up with a much thinner soup.
How do I store leftovers? Leftovers will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Thick and Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 14.5 ounce cans low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast use a rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight shortcut
- 2 14.5 ounce cans Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies 14.5 oz
- 1 10 ounce package frozen corn, thawed
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons Red Gold® Tomato Paste 6 oz
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal mixed with ½ cup water
- Tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, saute the onions and bell pepper in vegetable oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken brown, chicken, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin tomato paste.
- Add the cornmeal and water mixture and then stir everything together to combine.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low - simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- Serve with chips, cheese, avocado, lime, pickled red onion, or whatever your favorite tortilla soup toppings are!
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