Healthy and Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This thick creamy tomato based soup with chicken is enhanced with the warm, slightly spicy notes of cumin and coriander and thickened with tortilla wedges and corn kernels.

And this soup recipe is so easy to make as well. By pureeing the vegetables, the soup base develops a thick creamy texture. While corn tortillas are also used to thicken the soup, they also make a nice crispy topping.

Creamy delicious and simply healthy

Often times, creamy and delicious means higher calories. However, creamy soups can be healthy. By eliminating cream from the recipe, this soup retains its’ healthy value. As a replacement for cream, the vegetables are blended with corn tortillas, to develop a thick and creamy base. Within minutes, you will be enjoying a bowl of this warm flavorful soup. And it really couldn’t be simpler to make.

Simple Steps to Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1. Saute vegetables and tortilla pieces in soup pot.
2. Add spices and broth.
3. Using an immersion blender puree the vegetables and broth together.
4. Add lime juice, additional corn and diced chicken.

In less than 30 minutes, this soul-warming soup is ready to serve.

Immersion Blenders

My personal preference to creating creamy soups, is by blending in the pan using an immersion blender. By using a blending stick, the need to transfer the soup to a blender is eliminated. Furthermore, the risk for burns is reduced. Blending hot liquids in a blender can be very dangerous as pressure is created causing hot liquid to explode.

My Favorite Immersion Blender is the Vita Mix!

Vitamix Immersion Blender, Stainless Steel, 18 inches

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If you are looking for an immersion blender, I highly recommend the Vitamix Immersion Blender. It is one of my favorite kitchen tools. What I love most about this particular blender is that the body twists apart at the center of the tool. This makes clean up so easy as I can remove the lover half of the blending stick and take it to the sink for cleaning. This feature allows me to clean the blade without dragging the motor and the electrical cord over to the sink. No more worries about getting electrical parts wet from cleaning. Thank you Vitamix for making such a wonderful tool!

The Chicken

To help cut cooking time, I often use baked chicken breasts to make my soups. Generally, I will make a sheet pan of baked chicken breasts for use during the week. First of all, this chicken makes recipes like Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup quick and easy. But they are also delicious in salads, sandwiches or a healthy afternoon snack.

But let me stipulate, it isn’t necessary to add chicken. Perhaps this soup is going to be served with another entree or a sandwich. If you would like to lighten the soup up for this, simply omit the chicken.

The Tortillas

Thickening the soup

For both thickening and garnishing, corn tortillas are used in this recipe. There are a number of tortilla brands and any of them will work well here. When preparing the soup base, cut the tortillas in strips or wedges for sauteing.

Garnishing and Texture

When preparing the tortillas for garnishing, cut tortillas in half. Then cut the halves into strips for cooking. To help keep it healthy, the tortilla strips are sauteed in olive oil using a cast iron skillet set over med-high heat.

A few simple steps to making Homemade Tortilla Strips:

• Heat skillet over medium high heat.
• Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and heat until the oil begins to shimmer.
• Toss in all of the tortilla strips.
• Using tongs or small spatula quickly toss tortilla strips continuously, to distribute the oil evenly.
• Continue to cook and toss until strips become toasted and crispy.
• Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt.
• Garnish soup and serve.

Fresh Garlic vs. Roasted Garlic

Either of these are delicious in this or any of my recipes. But, here is why I choose to use roasted garlic. By using roasted garlic, I am able to expedite cooking and eliminate extra work. For instance, I hate peeling garlic. It is tedious and frustrating when you can’t get that thin piece of paper off of your clove. Additionally, mincing and chopping slows down cooking, when you are in a hurry. In order to minimize this process, I roast three to four heads of garlic every couple of weeks. The cooled garlic heads are then stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. By doing this, I am able to eliminate the need to peel garlic, chop or mince it. To employ garlic into a dish, simply squeeze a few cloves out of their paper shell. Now the garlic can be easily mashed and incorporated during cooking.

Furthermore, roasting garlic brings out sweet caramelized notes, creating a milder less pungent flavor. Sometimes garlic leaves a harsh overpowering taste or lingers on the palate. To overcome this, consider using roasted garlic. Additionally, you will be surprised how easy it is to make.

Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers

A 2 cup serving of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup without Tortilla Strips is 2 WW Smart Points on WW Blue Plan or 313 calories.

A 2 Cup serving of soup served with 1/6th of the tortilla strips is 4 WW Smart Points or 361 calories.

A 1 1/2 cup serving of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup without Tortilla Strips is 1 WW Smart Point on WW Blue Plan or 235 calories.

A 1 1/2 cup serving of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with 1/8th of the tortilla strips is 3 WW Smart Points or 277 calories.

Buon Appetito!

Healthy and Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

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This recipe is a makeover of a classic Mexican soup, with a mildly spicy finish.  This soup recipe is thickened using only vegetables and tortillas, producing a healthy creamy finish to the warm notes of coriander and cumin without the need for cream or butter.  Enjoy this flavorful classic served with homemade crispy tortilla strips or serve alongside a sandwich or favorite entree.

• Author: Mia
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 Cups serves 6 1x
• Category: Soup/Entree
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Diet: Low Fat

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) Onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic, mashed OR
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Garlic, minced
• 5 Corn Tortillas (143 grams), cut into wedges (6-inch tortillas)
• 2 1/2 cups (273 grams) Frozen Corn (divided)
• 2 –15 ounce cans (822 grams) Fire Roasted Tomatoes, diced
• 5 cups Broth (1150 grams) Vegetable or Chicken
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) Ground Coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon (<1 grams) Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon (7 grams) Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon (16 grams) Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 cups (275 grams) Cooked Chicken, shredded or diced (can be baked, grilled or roasted)

For Garnish: 

• 4 Corn Tortillas (6-inch)
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• Salt

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Instructions

FOR SOUP:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and saute for 5-6 minutes until onion begins to soften and turn golden.
3. If using raw garlic, stir in with the tortilla wedges and continue to saute another 4-5 minutes, until the tortillas become limp and garlic becomes translucent. (If using roasted garlic, add with corn and tomatoes in order to keep garlic from sticking to the bottom of the pan.)
4. Add 1 1/2 cups (192 grams) of frozen corn kernels, tomatoes, broth and spices.  Stir to combine.  (If using roasted garlic add to the pot along with the corn and tomatoes.)
5. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.    
6. With an immersion blender, puree all soup ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Or alternatively, if an  immersion blender is not available, remove soup from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Then transfer soup to a blender and puree in batches, returning pureed soup to pot.
7. Over medium-low heat, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
8. Add the additional 1 cup (81 grams) of corn, lime juice and chicken. 
9. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and serve.
11. Garnish with tortilla strips and avocado or sour cream, if desired. (Optional)

FOR TORTILLA STRIPS GARNISH:

1.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet or cast iron pan, heat two teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the tortilla strips and cook until slightly crunchy, tossing continuously.
3. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
4. While tortilla strips are still hot, sprinkle with salt.

TO SERVE:

1. Remove from the soup from heat and serve in individual serving bowl.
2. Sprinkle several tortilla strips on top for garnish.  (Optional)
3. Garnish with a teaspoon of chopped avocado and/or a fresh cilantro before serving.