Cheesy Enchilada Soup... with rice
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup... with rice
Looking for an easy, hearty soup that will tickle your taste buds? You’ve found it! Rich and cheesy with a hint of spice… can make it spicier too! Addition of beans and rice make this soup a great dinner meal too!
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Yield: 6 – 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken soup base
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Dash of cayenne p epper
1 – 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 4 ounce can green chilies , chopped
1 – 10 ounce can enchilada sauce, mild or medium
1 – 15 ounce can tomatoes , diced
1 cup instant brown rice
2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
4 corn tortillas
Vegetable spray
Kosher salt
Garnish: Tortilla strips, chopped fresh cilantro, grated cheese, light sour cream, sliced jalapeño peppers
Equipment needed:
Large soup kettle or pot with lid , ~ 4 – 5 quart
Cutting board
Chef knife
Liquid measuring cup
Tongs
Small strainer
Dry measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Rubber spatula
Baking sheet
Ladle
I always enjoy a good bowl of enchilada soup when I go out for lunch and with the weather so chilly, I was craving it! Too snowy to drive to the nearest restaurant, so I decided to experiment and make my own. After reviewing a number of recipes, I checked my refrigerator and cupboards to see what I could create… my recipe was born. Super simple too! If you can open a can, you can make my soup, with a few easy steps. Grab a can opener and let’s make soup!
Begin the process by placing the chicken breasts, cut in half, in the soup kettle with the onions and garlic. Add the water to cover and turn on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove the chicken using tongs and set them on a plate to cool. After they have cooled a bit, slice into 1” cubes and set aside.
Next step is to add all the ingredients to the kettle, except for the cheese. Add the chopped chicken. Open all the cans. Drain and rinse the beans in a small strainer and add to the pot. Open the chilies, enchilada sauce and tomatoes and add them too. If you have children, this recipe is fun for them to make as they can open the cans or pour them in and stir! Be sure to scrape out all the cans to be sure you are not losing any flavor. Bring the soup to a boil and add the cup of instant brown rice. Cover, reduce soup to a simmer and cook until rice fluffs up and sinks to the bottom of the pot when stirred, about 5 – 8 minutes.
Last step is to add the cheese. Cheese of course is a dairy product, so it is added last and the heat turned down to its lowest level. I have a stove that has a melt setting on one burner… perfect for keeping things warm, but not too hot. Add the cheese a handful at a time, mixing well after each addition. See how the color brightens with the addition of the creamy cheese? Taste it! Isn’t it yummy? Here you can kick it up a notch with more cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce. In my house, everyone doesn’t like it spicy…so I keep it relatively mild and allow everyone to doctor up their own.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
For the garnish, I like to make my own tortilla strips. You can buy them or make them from a variety of colored shells. I always have yellow corn tortillas in the house, so I stack 4 – 5 and cut them in to strips. These I spread out on a baking sheet and spray well with vegetable spray. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt for flavor. Place the pan in the preheated 400 F oven for 10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown… tossing once about half way thru the baking time.
Ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish with a bit of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a few of the tortilla strips and a few leaves of fresh cilantro . I always add a bit of extra jalapeno slices too, helps to kick it up a notch and the meal appeal is wonderful … Enjoy!