Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipes

It is not quite cold enough for winter soups, but I wanted to bring the crockpot out of hiding, and a soup is always a safe bet. I always try to make sure my soups are hearty and filling, as there is nothing worse than a canned soup that is literally broth with some soggy vegetables. After looking at the ingredients in my fridge, and the lovely homegrown tomatoes in my kitchen, I settled upon a Chicken Tortilla soup. I decided to bulk it up by adding plenty of other highly nutritious ingredients to make it more satisfying. It is also a great way of sneaking in vegetables that are barely noticeable with the vibranChicken Tortilla soup sept 13 (2)t flavors.

Although it may seem like there are a lot of ingredients, they are all pantry basics…..other than Adzuki beans, which can be substituted for black beans….I just had them on hand, and they are so nutritious, I had to use them!

It is so easy to just mix the ingredients, pour them over the chicken. The hardest part is a few hours before you are going to eat when it smells amazing, and you want to dip in. The Greek yogurt makes a much healthier substitute for sour cream. You can then use the leftovers as a healthy evening snack. Did you read my post on 5 Tips for Preventing Late Night Overeating?

This is a very runner friendly soup; it full of vitamins and minerals in the vegetables to keep your body ticking over well. Served with a nice crusty slice of bread, it is very balanced, and perfect for a winter night. This would not be a great option before a hard workout/race, but is a pick me up to rehab you back to health after sickness or pushing your body to its limits in a race. If you have raced hard recently, did you see why I think it is best to Take A Break After Racing?

#FuelYourFuture

  • Tomatoes are not only full of lycopene; found to reduce the risk of cancer, but they contain plenty of Vitamin B6, which help with the storage of glycogen in muscles to help you run faster for longer
  • Chickpeas are a perfect post run legume that contain protein, carbohydrates, and are high in fiber
  • Adzuki beans are one of the superfoods of the future; extremely low in calories, while being high in protein and fiber to regulate digestion
  • Chicken is a lean protein that softens up into tender, succulent meat to rebuild your sore muscles after a hard effort
  • Red bell peppers are high in Vitamin C; repairing your damaged connective tissue
  • Cayenne pepper helps to remove bad cholesterol, and maintain your cardiovascular system, along with speeding up your metabolism to keep you burning calories long after your workout finishes
 Chicken Tortilla soup sept 13 (1)
Warning: You may want to make sure you are out after a few hours of cooking as the delicious, mouthwatering smell begins to pour out, it will be hard to restrain yourself!
Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3-6 hours
Ingredients
1 Chicken Breast
2 cups (500ml) crushed tomatoes (either canned or 3 large fresh tomatoes)
1 cups (250ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (75g) chickpeas
1/4 cup (50g) black beans
½ onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
½ green bell pepper, cut into small pieces
2 medium tomatoes, cut into pieces
1 carrot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole wheat wrap, cut into thin strips
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 ½ tbsp fresh coriander, ½ tbsp chopped
1 bay leaf (optional)
4 tbsp Greek yogurt (optional)
1/3 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
Place the tortilla strips/wrap strips onto a baking tray and put in the oven for around 10 minutes at 250F (120 C) degrees until they are just starting to brown, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven and put aside.
If you are using fresh tomatoes, cut them into quarters and put them in a blender. Pulse until it is a liquid. Stir in the chicken stock, cayenne, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic together.
Add the bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp chopped coriander, black beans and chickpeas.
Put the carrots and onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chicken breast on top.
Pour the soup mix onto the chicken breast.
Leave to cook for 3 hours on high, or 6 hours on low. Remove the chicken breast from the soup and shred using a fork. Stir back into the soup and stir the remaining coriander and tortilla chips.
Serve with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt and sprinkle with cheese
chicken, dinner, lunch, soup

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