Tex-Mex Tortilla Soup

I have lived in Texas my entire life, therefore it is no surprise that "Tex-Mex" has become one of my favorite types of food growing up. For those of you who don't know, Tex-Mex is a beautiful blend of both Texas and Mexican cuisine. 

One of the many dishes placed in the Tex-Mex category is tortilla soup. Tortilla soup is a broth-based soup with added vegetables, chicken and crisped corn tortillas. It is an extremely popular meal and can be found at virtually any Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant.

Although it seems like a meal you can only enjoy at restaurants, it is surprisingly easy to make yourself. All you need is a Crockpot cooker, a few ingredients, five minutes of preparation time and four hours to let the soup simmer. The recipe I use can be found on http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/66118304/healthy-crock-pot-chicken-tortilla-soup/. I made subtle changes to this recipe and you are welcome to tweak it to your liking. 

All the ingredients necessary for chicken tortilla soup,
totaling under $15.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

4 uncooked chicken breasts 

1 can of crushed tomatoes undrained 

1 can of red enchilada sauce 

1 can of black beans

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles 

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon of garlic 

1 package of frozen corn (14 ounces)

1 box of chicken broth (14 ounces)

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 package of corn tortillas 

Place all of the ingredients with the exception of the corn tortillas into the Crockpot. Put the Crockpot on the highest setting and let ingredients sit for 4 hours. 

A few minutes in the oven will turn
average corn tortillas into golden
tortilla chips that make the perfect
topping for the soup.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

About 20 minutes prior to serving, preheat oven to 400 F. Slice the corn tortillas into small strips, place strips on a baking sheet and spray will non-stick cooking spray. Place tortilla strips in oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

When serving the soup, I prefer to keep the Crockpot on the "warm" setting so the soup stays a good temperature. It is also nice to garnish the soup with fresh avocado and cheese.  

This tortilla soup has become a go-to meal for me throughout college. It is a simple, inexpensive meal that can feed a number of people. All of my friends really enjoy the flavor and "restaurant" quality it possesses. It is very easy to store, lasts for days and can simply be reheated in the microwave. It is a meal you can throw together before class and enjoy by the time you get home. I hope that you enjoy the soup, feel free to give feedback by commenting below. 

The finished tortilla soup garnished with corn tortilla chips, avocado and cheese.
Serving size is about 2 cups and up to 15 servings can be made out of the recipe.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)