Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have 629 soup recipes pinned on my "soup, soup and more soup" Pinterest board.  629 recipes of soups that I want to try.  Still somehow I have my standard favorites that I return to week after week.  Last week I was determined to try something new.  It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  The first cold front had hit and it had been raining, cold and miserable for two days and the forecast was for more of the same.  My friends and I were re-watching the Hunger Games movies so we could go see the last of the movies that had been released.  I decided that it was worth a trip to the grocery store to make some warm soup and chose this yummy bowl of goodness.  As anyone who knows me well knows, most of my soups are meatless.  As I had my daughter and a couple of friends over I decided that they would be happier, fuller and warmer if I were to forgo my ban on fowl and was I glad that I did!!  This one is for sure a keeper and will definitely be in my rotation going forth.  My daughter even had it for leftovers which never happens!  You can easily adjust the heat in this soup by substituting mild tomatoes and peppers and adjusting the number of jalapenos.  You could also make this soup gluten free easily by using an alternative flour as the thickening agent.  

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
  • 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (leave seeds in if you like the extra heat)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (you can use regular but I love the smoky flavor!)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use breasts but we prefer dark meat)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles (mild, regular or hot depending on your heat preference)
  • 1 1/3 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup flour (substitute gluten free option if needed)
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup of frozen corn (can use canned if you don't have frozen)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
For toppings:
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream
  • diced avocado
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges
  • crushed corn tortilla chips
Directions:
Heat old in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and jalapeno and saute for 3-5 minutes until onion is soft.  Add garlic during last bit so it doesn't burn.  Add chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add chicken thighs and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and boil until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from pot and rest on a plate.  Add tomatoes to pot.  In a small bowl whisk milk and flour until well blended.  Pour into soup and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens slightly.  Dice chicken and add back into pot along with beans and corn.  Stir in cream and sour cream and cook until thoroughly heated.

Serve warm with choice of toppings.  
























Adapted from Cooking Classy!

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