Crockpot Tortilla Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, shredded

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles, drained

1 cup frozen corn, thawed or 1 cup quinoa, cooked

15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed

1 white onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, diced and deseeded (keep seeds for more heat!)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 ½ tsp. ground cumin

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper 

Additional Toppings: Avocado, Mexican cheese, tortilla strips

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a saucepan with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Flip chicken breasts and add enough water to cover them. Simmer for another 7-10 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken from pan and place on plate or cutting board. Once cooled, use two forks to shred the chicken breasts. 

2. Place shredded chicken and all other ingredients together in crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. 

3. To make fresh tortilla strips, slice corn tortillas into thin strips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle ground paprika on top and bake until crispy (about 10 minutes). Let cool and place on top of soup with a pinch of Mexican cheese and a few slices of fresh avocado.