Saturday, October 26, 2024

Chicken Tortilla Soup Perfect for Rainy Weather


It was a rainy weekend in the Northwest last weekend and I was happy to be there...I love the rain. I took a walk with Aaron along the river and it started raining as we walked.  The ducks didn't mind getting rained on.


The next morning I took another walk around the neighborhood and it started raining about half way through my walk. I noticed that the red leaves of the maples looked even more red against the dark, rain soaked bark of the trees.


One evening while I was visiting we made Chicken Tortilla Soup using the Instant Pot. We combined a few recipes from the Internet and it was delicious, flavorful soup! It's based largely on the recipe at Kristine's Kitchen, so I think Kristine for a great, easy recipe. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can achieve close to the same results in a soup pot but it will take longer. Just sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil in the soup pot, add the liquids, seasonings, and beans, then bring them to a boil. Add the chicken, cover, reduce to simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes. Take a piece of chicken from the pot and see if you can shred it with a fork. If not, return to pot and simmer another 10 minutes. Shred all the chicken, return it to the soup pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer another 10 minutes to heat everything through, then serve with toppings on the side.

The soup base is created by cooking onions in olive oil, then adding garlic and letting the residual heat cook the garlic. To that you add tomatoes, seasonings, beans and chicken broth. This liquid mixture is used to cook the chicken, which is eventually shredded once cooked.


After the chicken is cooked, you add corn and a few more seasonings to the soup. I think that the addition of lime juice takes it to a higher level. An array of toppings makes it possible for each person enjoying the soup to tailor their toppings to their taste.


As we get closer to winter I'm sure that you'll find that this soup is just the thing to warm you up when the evening is chilly.


Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 6

 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fairly small
4 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz. can fire roasted or regular diced tomatoes in their juice
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6)
1 cup canned or frozen corn, drained if canned
juice from one large (or two small) lime(s)
salt and pepper to taste

 Serving toppings: crumbled tortilla chips or strips, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, avocado slices or dice, fire roasted diced green chiles, chopped cilantro.


 
Instructions:

Add olive oil to Instant Pot insert and turn on sauté function. Add the onion and cooking, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot. Stir in minced garlic.

 Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, black beans and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Nestle the chicken into the liquid.

 Place the lid on and set it to the closed position. Move the steam valve to the sealing position.

Set the Instant Pot to manual/pressure cook, high pressure, for 9 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 20 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down. When the cook time is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully move the steam valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure. Can do this with the handle of a long spoon.

When the float valve drops down, the pressure has been released and it is safe to open the Instant Pot. Carefully remove the lid. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for a few minutes.

Stir the corn into the Instant Pot, along with the lime juice. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. While this is happening, shred or cube the chicken.

Return the chicken to the pot. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper, chili powder, and/or hot sauce. Serve with toppings as desired.

Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.


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