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May
18

A Tale of 2 Tortilla Soups

As I previously mentioned, my family became big soup makers after we got the Vitamix.  One of our absolute favorites is Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I’m going to put two different recipes for it here – one made on the stove, and the other in the Vitamix.  My sister Peggy’s family and I like the one on the stove best, but Dave and the girls prefer the Vitamix one.  They are both yummy, gluten free, and dairy free (unless you choose to add cheese).  After eating them I challenge you to say that eating gluten/dairy free means your food is bland.
The first recipe comes from my sister Mary, who is an endless source of awesome recipes.  Peggy made it, and then insisted I do the same.  I’m so glad she did!

 

Conventional Chicken Tortilla Soup*

  • 3 chicken breasts (I use the meat from 2 Rotisserie Chickens from Costco because I like my soup to eat like a meal)!
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with sweet onions
  • 1 can Enchilada sauce – La Victoria Brand is gluten free
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 4oz can chopped green chile peppers (Peggy always cautions to not use the whole can, but I likes me some flavor, so I throw it all in)!
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (I always keep frozen crushed garlic cloves from Trader Joes in my freezer)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 14.5oz can chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro (I skip this one.  I’m not grown-up enough to enjoy it)
  • Place chicken, seasonings, and vegetables in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. (I opt to use my Dutch Oven on the stovetop for an hour…perfect)
  • Top with crumbled tortilla chips (and cheese if you’re into that sort of thing)….yum!
If there is anything I think the girls might turn their noses up at (i.e. onions, chile peppers), I just obliterate them in the  Vitamix with the broth and they are indetectable!  A few months ago, my dad taught me how to make my own broth using a rotisserie chicken, which stretches it’s $4.99 value even more, and it is the BEST broth ever!  Here’s how you do it – after you’ve removed all the meat for the soup, throw the carcass (awful word) in a big pot.  Fill the pot with water and whatever chopped veggies you want to use to give it flavor (I use pureed onions from the Vitamix – it has even more flavor than just chopping them), and then you just boil it for a few hours.  When you think it’s done, put a giant bowl in your sink.  Then, pour the broth through a strainer into the bowl, so that you are just left with the delicious liquid!  I have  a strainer that stretches across my sink so that I don’t have to hold it.  If you don’t have that, you may need an extra set of hands for this part.  In the end, you are left with an awesome base for your soup out of parts that otherwise would have gone in the garbage, and with very little effort!  You can even water it down further, because it is soooo flavorful.

Vitamix Chicken Tortilla Soup*
  • 3 cups of hot chicken broth
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 thin slice of onion
  • 1 thin slice of lemon(I never have this so I just use a few drops of lemon juice)
  • 1 thin slice of red bell pepper
  • cheddar or pepper jack cheese to taste (if dairy is not a concern)
  • 1 rounded teaspoon of Vitamix Blend it up Spice Blend (www.blenditup.com)/or 1 Tablespoon McCormick Spice Blends, Santa Fe style
Blend above ingredients 1 min on high.  To add texture, slow speed to Variable 1 and add 1 cup corn and/or black beans, 1 handful of tortilla chips and however much chicken you’d like.  Blend on Variable 1-3 until desire texture is reached.
* To both of these recipes, I’ll always add some quinoa, if I have some already cooked just sitting in the fridge.  It is such an amazing grain and I sneak it into our diet wherever I can!
I hope you guys enjoy these recipes as much as we do!  Let me know if you have any questions!

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2 Comments

  1. Peggy
    Posted May 18, 2011 at 4:15 pm | Permalink

    Everyone will love this! I only use one rotisserie chicken and 1/3 can of chilis. Now I’m off to look up the word quinoa! Pippa

    • Bethy
      Posted May 18, 2011 at 9:50 pm | Permalink

      Peggy is soooo right. Everyone LOVES this recipe. The fresh cilantro for grown up taste buds is something I recommend Bridget to try. I use the crockpot and there is nothing like coming home to the smell of a great meal cooking itself.

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