Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Easy Southwest Chicken Soup

It's cold outside, so you want a meal that'll warm you from the inside out, but you don't want something heavy. Yet you're crazy busy, deadlines are about to strangle you. You have no time to prepare a meal. Mindy here to tell you, "Yes, you do."

Wouldn't this hit the spot on a cold winter's day? And wouldn't it be great if there was enough to feed a family of four and still leave you some for lunch the next day? Then this is the recipe for you.

Here's what you'll need:
  • 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 this time)
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 
  • 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the petite diced)
  • 1 - 10 oz can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies (they have original, mild and spicier varieties; I use original, but it you want the flavor but not the spice, use the mild)
  • 3 cups chicken broth (I prefer the low-sodium variety)
  • 1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1-2 cups frozen corn
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a CrockPot or slow cooker.
Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
Add tomatoes, Ro-tel, chicken broth, black beans tomato paste, onion and bell pepper.
Stir, trying not to disturb the chicken.
Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.
See, I told you it was easy. Now you have the rest of the day to knockout your to-do list.
Approximately and hour to an hour and a half before cooking is done, stir in the frozen corn.
You could add it at the beginning, if you prefer, but I like a little crunch to my corn.

When cooking time is up, remove chicken breasts and shred the meat.
Return meat to slow cooker, stir and serve.
I like to top mine with a little avocado, shredded cheese and some cilantro for a pop of color.

That's it. Tons of flavor, healthy... And you didn't spend all day slaving over it. I love when I can put something on to cook in the morning and then emerge from my writing cave late in the day to discover that dinner is ready and waiting. Oh, and I usually don't have to worry about lunch the next day, but that would depend on how many you're feeding the first time around.

Okay, so today I'm dealing with computer issues. Not the computer, per se, but my business email account. And let me tell you, nothing can suck the life out of this technologically-challenged blond faster than tech problems. Oy! You know, out of five kiddos, you would have thought that one of them would have gone into computers so they could be there mother's personal computer guru, but no. They chose things like teaching, engineering, welding and admin. Ungrateful brats. 

Which means I'm going to turn the reins over to you all before I blow a gasket. Do you have a favorite CrockPot meal? How are you at technical issues? Do they drive you as batty as they do me?







Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com  



11 comments:

  1. Oh, Mindy! This looks so good!

    And the garnish...it's almost like a taco salad with your soup. :-)

    I love Crock Pot meals. My family has lived on them for years! And now that I have my Instant Pot, they're even easier. I can thaw the chicken on the pressure cook setting (or whatever meat I'm using), then add the veggies and seasonings, and finish off the meal on the slow cook setting.

    I usually put my supper together while I'm fixing my lunch, and it's set for the afternoon.

    But I have nothing for you on the computer end. Nada. Sorry.

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    1. Jan, I’ll have to take your word for it on the Instant Pot. That’s a train I have yet to board. Mostly because I’d need a place to store it. Time will tell, though.

      And yes, the garnish is half the fun. BTW, I forgot to mention how delicious this makes the house smell while it’s cooking. Makes you keep asking, “When’s dinner?”

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  2. Oh my, Mindy now that looks great! It might even be something my husband would eat. He's not a green chili fan, thus I've never gotten Ro-tel. I didn't know it came in mild :-) Gonna have to get the ingredients for this and make it...I can just imagine the smell as it cooks all day!

    I'm a fan of crock-pot meals because of the ease and time saving. I just don't have enough recipes and am looking to add some for money and time saving sake! This one is getting printed and put in my recipe book.

    This is seriously making my mouth water as I type this...lol!

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    1. Trixi, I'm like you with the CrockPot. I love the ease of it--fix it in the morning, let it cook all day--but I just don't have that many recipes. I need to remedy that.

      Yes, your husband might be okay with the mild Rotel version. But, hey, if you put green bell pepper in there, he'll probably think all the green stuff is bell pepper. My husband isn't a fan of bell peppers, but I'm slowly bringing him around. I just have to chop them really well. And if your hubby doesn't like green chilies because of the heat, you can always add some lime juice to cut the heat. Yep, it really works.

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    2. My husband or son doesn't like bell peppers but I do, so I would either omit them altogether or maybe not do quite so much in the soup. Thanks for the tip on lime juice, I had no idea! I like a little spice to the food to add flavor but again my husband doesn't...lol! I'll have to remember what you said.

      We have a church potluck coming up at the end of the month, I may just make my first batch of this for everyone! Leaving out nothing, of course :-) Can't wait to try this, I'll have to let you know what people think...sound good to you? I'm a hungry just thinkin on it!!

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    3. Trixi, potlucks are wonderful things. They're perfect for trying out new dishes/recipes. Especially if it's something you like, but the rest of the family won't or just so you can try it without the risk of having a ton leftover if it doesn't go over well. You shouldn't have that problem with this soup, though. And yes, definitely let me know what you think.

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  3. Mindy, this looks so good.

    I'm ashamed to admit it, but I own a crockpot that has never been used. I don't know what I'm scared of.

    Good luck with the tech stuff.

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    1. Mary Cate, I suspect you're not the only one with an unused CrockPot. But really? You're a teacher. A CrockPot could be your best friend. Just prep something in the morning (or the night before and put it in the fridge), set it to cook on low and, voila! Dinner is ready and waiting when you get home. Not to mention the fact that the house usually smells amazing.

      Tech issue has been narrowed down but not resolved. That's a job for another day.

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  4. I don't know how I missed your post yesterday! I'm sorry I didn't drop by. This looks amazing!! I'll definitely give it a try soon. YUM!

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  5. I missed this on Tuesday, but I've been looking for a slightly different chicken soup recipe, Mindy and we'll try this next week while the kids are off school.... it looks marvelous!

    And I'm helpless with tech issues... So I call the experts, or the company (it takes forever to get Microsoft to actually do things, and by forever I mean sometimes days and many phone calls....) so I really respect people that can get the job done!!!

    Ay yi yi....

    But I do keep a back-up laptop now with just about everything saved to the cloud so if my favorite laptop goes down (the one with the letters all gone from the keys...) I have a back-up and access to my work. Five years ago, that wasn't an option, so it's wonderful now!

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    1. I have yet to give into the cloud, Ruthy, though I'm definitely getting closer to pulling that lever.

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