Tuesday Tortilla Soup - Slow Cooker Thursday

Wow, I cannot believe that November is nearly over!  Are you getting a little anxious about Christmas?  I am...even though I am fairly organized and a lot of our shopping is already done (we don't go all out), there are the little details that I fuss about that I haven't started yet.  I'll get there!

In the meantime, I am sure you know (but I am going to tell you again!) that I just love my slow cooker.  I love Slow Cooker Thursdays.  It makes our lives so much easier after school/work/hockey each Thursday.  And, you've already read about my newest addition to my cookbook collection - my Best of Bridge Slow Cookers Cookbook - and today's recipe is from that cookbook (ps - this would make a great Christmas gift...just sayin'!).

Thanks to Robert Rose for providing the recipe and photos for today's post.

Quick to assemble — ideal for mad midweek mornings. It cooks all day; just add the finishing touches when you get home.

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes, with juice

2 cups chopped cooked chicken 

1 cup corn kernels (no need to thaw if frozen)

1 tbsp ground cumin  

1 tbsp dried oregano            

Salt and pepper

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups crushed corn tortilla chips, divided

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp chipotle chile powder (see tip)

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 

Shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend or Cheddar cheese

Sour cream

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine garlic, onion, tomatoes, chicken, corn, cumin, oregano, 1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) salt, 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) pepper and broth. Cover and cook on Low for about 8 hours or on High for about 4 hours, until onions are tender and soup is bubbling. Stir in half the tortilla chips and the cilantro. In a small bowl, combine chipotle chile powder and lime juice until smooth. Stir into soup. Cook on High for 20 minutes, until tortilla chips are softened and soup is thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream. Serves 4.

Tip: Jars of chipotle chile powder are available in most supermarkets. The reddish-brown powder is made from dried smoked jalapeño peppers. It lends an authentic Mexican touch to soups, stews and chilis. Regular chili powder can be substituted if you prefer to not have a smoky flavor.

VERDICT:

Yet anouther slow cooker hit at our house!  We all really enjoyed this soup - to be honest, this was my first time adding sour cream to a soup, and I just loved it.  Oh my goodness - for sure this one is a keeper!

Excerpted from Best of Bridge Slow Cooker Cookbook by Sally Vaughan-Johnston & The Best of Bridge © 2012 www.robertrose.ca May not be reprinted without publisher permission.