Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here is an easy chicken tortilla soup. It would be perfect for the miserably cold weather we are having right now.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons butter
3 chicken breasts, diced
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes or 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 quart (32 ounce) reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For serving:
tortilla chips
diced avocado
monterey jack cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken, onions, celery, and carrots and saute for 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Cook for 1 more minute. Add green chiles, tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, corn, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve with broken tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese.

Potato Soup

I had too many potatoes lying around one day and decided soup sounded good. I made this up as I was going along and loved the results.

Potato Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
26 ounces chicken stock (low sodium)
6 cups chopped potatoes (I used white potatoes)
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 cups skim milk
1-2 cups chopped ham
1 cup frozen sweet corn
shredded cheddar cheese for serving

Saute onion in olive oil until softened and starting to brown. Add chicken stock, vegetables, and ¾ tsp. Kosher salt and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes). In another pan, melt butter. Add flour, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth. Add milk slowly and stir until starts to thicken. Add to soup mixture. Add chopped ham & corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Chicken Quinoa Stew

I found this recipe on the Picky Palate blog and decided to give it a try. It's delicious and SO healthy!


Chicken & Quinoa Stew

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups sweet peppers, chopped
1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
64 oz. chicken broth
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
5 medium yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
3 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 cup dry)
4 medium boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (cooked, shredded, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and Lawry's garlic salt with parsley, to taste
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots, peppers, and zucchini until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and potatoes. Increase heat to high just until broth starts to boil. Reduce to medium high and cook potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, chicken, dijon mustard, hot sauce, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and Lawry's. Stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a quick and easy recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup. Finally, a soup that even my kids will eat! I love how the cream of chicken soup thickens it slightly so the soup isn't just broth.

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

4 chicken breasts

Boil chicken breasts in water for 20 minutes and then cut up into small pieces. Set aside

5 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
10 cups water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups noodles (any type)

Boil vegetables, bouillon and water for about 8 minutes. Add noodles and reserved chicken and cook another 8-10 minutes.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon dried basil
pepper to taste
1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Add cream of chicken soup, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil again before adding defrosted peas. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Sausage Minestra Soup

Here's a soup that would make my mother in law proud. You see, I am not a big fan of spicy foods. I don't know if I'm a supertaster or what, I just can't tolerate things that are too spicy. My mother-in-law has a good friend from Bali and he makes this chicken that can set your mouth on fire. He tames it down when we're in town (but it still is spicy for me!). After all these years of eating the food he prepares, my mother-in-law probably has a hard time eating the mellow foods I usually cook. I've been branching out the last few years and trying some recipes with a little extra spice. I found this soup in a Cuisine at Home special magazine called Splendid Soups. As always, there's a few changes, but I think this is a quick easy soup that's sure to warm you up on a cold day!

Oh and trust me, it tastes better than it looks. I served this to my husband the other day and he raved about it. He says he'd rather eat this than go out!

Sausage Minestra Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds link Italian sausage, sliced into 1" thick pieces
3 cups diced onion
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (decrease if you're like me and don't like things too spicy)
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (or 3 cups fresh seeded, diced tomatoes)
3/4 cup dry orzo pasta
4 1/2 cups fresh chopped spinach

Saute sausage in olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned (make sure to brown it well). Add onion, garlic, and seasonings; cook until the onion is soft. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and deglaze pan. Add remainder of the broth, tomatoes (pureed in food processor if desired), and orzo. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Stir in spinach until wilted. Serve with parmesan croutons on top.

To make parmesan croutons: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a saute pan over medium-high heat. Toast 3 cups cubed baguette pieces in oil until crisp. Off heat, toss with 1/2 cup grated parmesan and set aside.

Michelle's note: I'm wierd and I don't really like chunks of tomatoes in my soups. I usually just throw the canned tomatoes in my food processor for a minute to puree them a bit.