Pinterest Wednesday

Soup! Crock pot! Yes! The weather is in the mid-80s here at the Mud House and that's what we call soup weather! This week's Pinterest Wednesday recipe is Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup and it comes to us from Skinny Taste. It has the added advantage of being a low-fat recipe however, I'm afraid some of my personal touches made it less so. This soup feels like home to me. It's full of ingredients that I've cooked with all my life. I've copied the recipe from Skinny Taste and I've indicated where I've made my changes and additions. I've also made a few suggestions in "Notes" below the recipe.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is what you will need:

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth (I used regular sodium chicken broth)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish).
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn (I used Mexican hominy)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano (I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons because I really love Mexican oregano).
2 - 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (I used skinless bone-in chicken thighs instead)
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
fat free sour cream (optional)
I also added Mexican limes to squeeze on the soup before eating.

This is what you do:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes.

Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil.

Add cilantro and remove from heat.

Pour into crock pot and add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir.

Add the chicken thighs; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Notes:

The soup was not spicy enough for me so next time I will double or triple the amount of chipotle peppers. I will also add some of the chipotle sauce from the can.

I used more oregano because I love the flavor in soup. Get Mexican oregano if you can. It has a distinctive flavor which is perfect for making Mexican inspired dishes.

If you have the option to grow cilantro, by all means do so. Fresh picked cilantro is far more flavorful than what you usually find in stores. Go ahead and add a 1/4 cup before you put the soup into the crock pot but add much more to garnish the soup right before eating. Cilantro's flavor diminishes during cooking.

If you are unfamiliar with chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, they are smoked jalapenos and quite spicy. Their heat increases as they cook so use caution. I actually added more than the recipe calls for but I like the smoky spicy flavor.

I love this soup because it is inspired by the flavors and spices of Mexico that are so close to my heart. Stay tuned as we move into the holiday season. I will share many family traditions and recipes that are infused with the flavors of Mexico and the old southwest.

This recipe is healthy, easy and delicious. I'm giving it 5/5 Prickly Pear Margaritas!

A very special thank you to Gina at Skinnytaste.com. Be sure to visit her website for many delicious and healthy recipes!