Chicken Echilada Soup

This Chicken Enchilada Soup is comforting, hearty, savory, filling, lusciously creamy and cheesy and bursting with fiesta flavors. It's a meal-in-one made with pantry staple so you can make this soup any night of the week!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, patted dry

3 tablespoon Olive Oil, divided

Salt and Pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons Chili Powder

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Ground Coriander

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paperika

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 Yellow Onion, diced

1/4 cup Tomato Paste

4-6 cloves Garlic, minced

8 cups reduced sodium Chicken Broth, divided

1 teaspoon unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 pinch of Cinnamon

1 (15 ounce) can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, not drained

1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can Sweet Corn, drained and rinsed

1 (4 ounce) can mild diced Green Chilies

3/4 cup Masa Harina (of flour if you cannot find Masa Harina in the flour or ethnic sections of the grocery store)

ADD LATER:

4 ounces Cream Cheese, cubed, very soft

4 ounces (1 cup) freshly shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

3 tablespoons chopped Cilantro

Lime Juice, to taste

TOPPINGS:

Tortilla Chips or Crushed Tortilla Strips

Sour Cream

Tomatoes

Avocados

Hot Sauce, to taste

Cilantro

Lime Juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch Oven/soup pot. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.

2. While the chicken is searing, whisk together all of the seasonings (chili powder through oregano); set aside.

3. To the now empty pot, add one additional tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions and all seasonings; saute for 4 minutes scraping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and saute an additional 60 seconds.

4. Reduce the heat to low, then add chicken back to pan along with 6 cups of chicken broth, cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon. Stir well to combine. Add the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chilies. In a separate bowl whisk Masa Harina/flour with remaining 2 cups chicken broth until no lumps remain then stir into soup.

5. Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, then displace the lid so it's partially covering the pot, with about a one-inch opening. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is tender enough to shred.

6. Remove chicken to a cutting board. Let chicken rest 5 minutes then shred into bite-size pieces (don't add back to soup yet.

7. Meanwhile, reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese until melted followed by shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Stir chicken back into soup. Sir in cilantro and lime juice to taste. Add additional chicken broth to thin to desired consistency. Season with additional salt/pepper/hot sauce to taste. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!