While staying with a friend recently, I had some of this lovely Chicken Tortilla Soup she’d made. It was so good and was full of a rainbow of veggies. I kept asking her, “What’s this? What’s that?” Turns out it had kale and sweet potato as some of the more surprising ingredients. Her 8 year old boy told me, “Mom likes to add vegetables in wherever she can. It makes a healthy family.” I was so sold. When I got home I pretty quickly tried my hand at augmenting my own usual chicken tortilla soup recipe and wow it was good. So I’ll share with you here. Though my husband deemed it “Salad Soup” I believe it was an affectionate title. Even my 2 year old downs it so I hope you and yours will too. I love one pot wonders and this one is now my favorite! I made a double batch of this recipe for supper on Superbowl Sunday when we had another family over, brought some of it to a friend that was ill, froze 2 gallon size bags full of it, and ate the rest of the leftovers for a couple meals. So beware that this makes a lot but does freeze and reheat very nicely!
Salad Soup or Chicken Tortilla Veggie Soup
Recipe2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup minced onions
3 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper diced (about 1 1/4 cup)
1 green bell pepper diced (about 1 1/4 cup)
12 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced sweet potato
1 1/2 cup diced carrots (about 4)
4 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1 T cumin (or to taste)
Cayenne pepper (optional)
salt to taste
2 lbs dry pinto or pinto and great northern beans, cooked and drained
2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
1/2 bunch of kale, chopped up
Shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips or tortilla strips to top
1. Heat Oil over medium heat in dutch oven or large stock pot, then add onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook until slightly softened.
2. Pour in stock, stir, and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling add sweet potato and carrot and spices and cook about 9 minutes (just until al dente. If you over cook the sweet potato it will be sweet and mushy so undercook slightly and no one will even guess it is sweet potato!)
4. Stir in cooked beans and chicken and heat through.
5. Stir in kale and allow to heat about 5 more minutes to slightly cook the kale.
6. Top with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips to serve.
looks great! tortilla soup is a favorite!