Chicken Tortilla Soup
The secret to this soup's creamy texture is whisking softened cream cheese into the hot broth - it melts smoothly without clumping, creating a rich base in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 can red enchilada sauce 15-oz
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles 14.5-oz, undrained
- 1 can chili beans in mild sauce 16-oz, undrained
- 2 cans black beans 15-oz, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- ~2 2/3 cups freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- ~3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Toppings tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, lime, cilantro, as desired
Method
- Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat.
- Sauté onion 3-5 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic, enchilada sauce, tomatoes, all beans, corn, chicken stock, and seasonings.
- Bring to boil.
- Microwave cream cheese 1 minute until very soft.
- Whisk softened cream cheese into boiling soup until smooth.
- Remove from heat, stir in Cheddar gradually until melted.
- Add shredded chicken and heat through.
- Serve topped with tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, lime and cilantro as desired.
Notes
Keep heat low when adding cheese to prevent curdling. Soup will thicken as it cools.