Chicken Enchilada Soup

 

Ingredients:

Seasonings:

• ½ teaspoon EACH: chili powder, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 pinch EACH: cinnamon, cayenne pepper

Soup:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced (I food processed to hide them.) 
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (I used frozen Dorot cubes.)
• 10 oz. red enchilada sauce
• 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained (I food processed a can of fire roasted tomatoes + 2 ounces of mild green chiles.  This made the soup less "chunky.") 
• 15 oz. black bean, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz. canned whole kernel corn, drained (I used 1 cup of frozen fire roasted corn.)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (I used about one pound.)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (freshly grated is best!)
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (freshly grated is best!)

Directions:

• Combine the seasonings and set aside. Take out the cream cheese and allow it to soften. Shred cheddar and Monterey jack cheese from a block and set aside.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the (optional) peppers. Soften for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Add it to the soup pot along with all remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese and shredded cheese.
• Bring the soup to a gentle boil and allow the chicken to slowly cook through for about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and use two forks to shred. Return it to the soup.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until combined, then stir in the shredded cheese until melted.
• Taste and add any additional seasonings as needed, then serve!
  *www.thecozycook.com

Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken) Soup

Avgolemono is a traditional Greek lemon chicken soup that's made with egg yolks and loads of lemon juice for a warming and satisfying meal.  Super yummy, especially during the chilly months or when family has the sniffles.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 chicken breasts (about 12 oz / 350 g total)
• 6 cups (1.5 liter) chicken stock or broth (I used 6 at first then added another cup later!)
• 3/4 cup (175 g) orzo
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 egg yolks
• A handful fresh dill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrot, and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened. (I food processed the onion, carrot, and celery together!) Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the bay leaves, raw chicken (I seasoned with salt and pepper first), and chicken stock (I used broth).
3. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Take out the chicken breasts and bay leaves. Add the orzo to the pot and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks and add it back to the pot.
6. Pay attention to this step!!  While the orzo is cooking, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl. Take out 1-2 ladles of soup and pour it over the egg-lemon mixture to temper it. Whisk, whisk, whisk!  Add this mix to the pot and continue to stir + cook for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the fresh dill, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately with some extra fresh dill on top if you like.  Grilled cheese paired with this soup is a winner!

For step by step directions, *https://skinnyspatula.com/avgolemono-greek-lemon-chicken-soup/

Easy! White (but not white for me) Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced (I used 1 cup frozen, chopped onions.)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 2 frozen Dorot garlic cloves.)
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used 1 teaspoon.)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (I omitted.)
• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 pounds chicken breasts, raw (about 3 large breasts)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2, 4 oz. cans green chiles
• 1, 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed (I used 1 cup frozen.)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used 1, 5.3 oz. 2% container.)
• Your favorite chili fixins' (tortilla chips, cilantro, jalapeño slices, Greek yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, etc. etc. etc....

Directions:

1. 1. In a stock pot, sauté onions in olive oil until soft. Add in garlic for one minute and then add in all spices. 
2. 2. In a separate bowl/plate, mash 1 cup of drained/rinsed beans with a potato masher until soft; we will use this to thicken the soup. (***I did not to this.  I actually put one whole can of drained/rinsed beans PLUS the can of fire roasted tomatoes in a food processor/blender and pulsed until semi-smooth. I don't particularly like chunks of tomatoes in soup/chili, so this was perfect!  Note that if you go this route, your chili will be more of a pink color (as opposed to "white") because of the blended tomatoes.)
3. 3. Add chicken broth, mashed and regular beans, green chiles, fire roasted tomatoes, and corn into pot. Then add in the raw chicken breasts and cook at medium-high heat.
4. 4. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through; this will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
5. 5. Once chicken is cooked, remove breasts from pot. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with two forks or roughly chop.
6. 6. Add the chicken back in, along with the juice of one lime and the Greek yogurt. (I well-combined the lime juice with the yogurt before adding to soup.)
7. 7. Stir all together, add salt to taste (if needed), and serve with desired extra toppings.

*www.erinliveswhole.com

Healthy White Chicken “Chili”

 

Ingredients:

3 medium bell peppers diced, about 380 g (red, yellow, or orange are best)

2 medium onions diced, about 540 g (fresh or frozen) 

2 medium zucchini chopped, about 355 g (I peeled mine.)

5 cloves minced garlic (or frozen Dorot/Good + Gather garlic cubes) 

1 tablespoon cumin

2, 7.5-8oz. cans mild green chilis

400 g green enchilada sauce (half a large can)

4.5 cups rotisserie chicken breast (about 1.25 lbs./550 g shredded and/or chopped into bite-sized pieces) 

3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese

3/4 cup sweet corn, about 128 g 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot/Dutch oven over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray.

2. Add peppers, onions, and zucchini, sprinkle with a hefty pinch of kosher salt, and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.

3. Stir in garlic and cumin and sauté for a few more minutes, then add green chilis, green enchilada sauce, chicken stock, and chicken. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on your chicken. Turn to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until you’re ready to eat.

4. Stir in softened cream cheese and corn and simmer for five more minutes just until corn is no longer frozen. Check level of seasoning to see if it needs more (salt and pepper).  Done!

5. Top individual bowls with cheese, sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and tortilla chips or Fritos!  (I made cornbread muffins!)

*www.lillieeatsandtells.com

Pasta Fagioli (Olive Garden Copycat)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
• 3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans low sodium chicken broth or beef broth (I used an entire 32 oz. container.)
• 1/2 cup water, then more as desired
• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 scant cup dry ditalini pasta
• 1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, for serving
• 3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, crumble in ground beef or sausage and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through. 
2. Drain fat from beef then transfer beef to a plate, set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in same pot. 
3. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium-high heat until tender about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. 
4. Add chicken/beef broth, tomato sauce, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, and cooked beef then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pan, prepare ditalani pasta according to directions on package, cooking to al dente.
7. Add cooked and drained pasta to soup, along with kidney beans and great northern beans. Thin with a little more broth or water if desired.  Over time, pasta will soak up liquid.
8. Allow to cook 1 minute longer. Stir in optional parsley, and serve warm with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

   *www.cookingclassy.com

Lasagna Soup

While THIS and THIS lasagna soup is equally delicious, this new one is ready in a flash!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef or half Italian sausage
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
• 8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 14 oz. can can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano, salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 10 uncooked lasagna noodles broken into approx. 1-2 inch pieces*
• 1/2 cup heavy cream,optional**

Cheese Garnish

• shredded mozzarella cheese
• freshly finely grated Parmesan cheese
• ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Heat large Dutch oven/large soup pot over medium high heat. Add beef (or beef/sausage combo) and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until beef is browned. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat.
2. Add spaghetti sauce, 6 cups chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, spices, and broken lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until lasagna noodles are tender, stirring occasionally (approximately 20-30 minutes).
3. Discard bay leaf, stir in heavy cream (optional), add and 2-4 cups chicken broth to reach desired consistency. Garnish individual servings with desired amount of cheeses.

Notes:

*You can also replace the noodles with 2 1/2 cups uncooked small shells if desired and simmer for less time.
**If you want to omit the heavy cream but still would like a thicker soup, I suggest whisking 2 teaspoons cornstarch with some of the chicken broth and adding to the soup to simmer and thicken.

*www.carlsbadcravings.com

Inspired Creamy Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Soup

I have adapted this recipe's ingredients, but see this link to find original!  

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 1/3 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium) (Food processor; see notes.)
• 1 1/3 cups diced carrots (about 3 medium)  (Food processor; see notes.)
• 6 - 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella.) (Food processor; see notes.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (Food processor; see notes.)
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb. bonless skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly to about 1/2-inch thickness (I used one rotisserie chicken, shredded.  See original recipe to follow instructions on cooking chicken.)
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 9 oz. refrigerated three cheese tortellini
• 4 oz. fresh spinach (4 cups) (Food processor; see notes.)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• finely shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

• To make this soup kid-friendly, I didn't want my soup to have large "chunks" of veggies, so I roughly chopped the onion, carrots, and mushrooms and then pulsed a few GOOD times in the food processor.  These can be combined, as they will cook together at the same time!  After processing those three ingredients, separately pulse the three cloves of garlic.  Remove garlic, then process spinach for last step of soup.  Now you can begin!
• 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and mushrooms and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add in chicken broth, oregano, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
• 2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Gradually add flour and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk. Season with salt and pepper, and bring mixture just to a light boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 3. Add tortellini to veggie/broth mixture, cover pot with lid and allow to boil over medium heat about 7 minutes (or time directed on package), adding in (roughly food processed) spinach during last 1 minute. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken, white sauce, and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm with parmesan cheese.

*Adapted from www.cookingclassy.com