Chicken Enchilada Soup

Have you ever had the Chicken Enchilada soup at the ? One day my friend Ann-Marie and I had lunch there and we both said we were going home to find a Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe because The Java Room’s was so good. Ann-Marie beat me to it and that is the basis for the following recipe. Of course, Ann-Marie and I changed and added to it, but we think it is as good as the Java Room’s.

Once again I will say that if I put cheese on it and it is even remotely Mexican, my family will love it; and this they love.

You can use uncooked chicken or use a rotisserie chicken or one of the Perdue Simple Smart or Short Cuts Chicken. I like to marinate some chicken in a Lawry’s 30 minute Chipotle Marinade or I marinate the chicken in Casa Fiesta Fajita Seasonings or use my leftover. I like the chicken to have a lot of flavor. But the rest of the soup is so good, that you can use any cooked chicken.

This soup whips up very quickly, especially if the chicken is already cooked, so you can have it on the table in less than an hour. And it can sit on the stove on simmer for a long time if you are waiting for family members to get home.

Ingredients

3 cups of chicken – chopped into ½ inch, cubed pieces, cooked or uncooked

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (14 oz) + 1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce – mild

2 cups milk

1 (14.5 oz) can of black beans – rinsed and drained

1 (4.5oz) can of chopped green chilies

1 cup of frozen corn

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or a cheddar and Jack mixture (You can use low fat if you like.)

Chopped, fresh cilantro

¾ cup tortilla chips – crushed

If your chicken is uncooked, then chop it and cook it in a skillet until cooked through. Cook with a little olive oil and some garlic, onion powder and chili powder at the very least if it hasn’t been marinated.

In a medium size saucepan add the chicken and all the ingredients but the cheese, the cilantro and tortilla chips.  Heat on medium until almost boiling – letting it boil could hurt the milk so try not to let it boil. Then add the cheese and stir until fully melted. 

Serve topped with the chips and cilantro – the cilantro makes the dish!

This can simmer for a long time on the stove so your family can help themselves or they can reheat in the microwave. Microwave a bowl of this soup for only 1 minute at a time so the milk and cheese don’t curdle, until it is as hot as you want it.