Mexican Chicken Tortilla
Soup
 |
| foodnetwork.com |
Every country has its own version of
chicken soup. Here is the Mexican rendition, chunky with vegetables and chicken
and topped with crunchy baked tortilla strips.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Baked Tortilla Strips
Olive oil in a pump sprayer
3 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into
strips about ½ inch wide and 1 inch long
Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, excess fat trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and
cut into ½-inch dice
1 large zucchini, trimmed and cut
into ½-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups Homemade Chicken Broth (here)
or canned low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added
diced tomatoes with juice, undrained
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
kernels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro,
plus more for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
To make the tortilla strips: Preheat
the oven to 400°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Spread the tortilla
strips on the baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake, stirring occasionally,
until crisp and golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
To make the soup: Heat the oil in a
large pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, add the chicken and cook,
stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion,
red pepper, zucchini, garlic, and jalapeño and reduce the heat to medium. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the broth, scraping up the
browned bits in the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Stir in the water
and tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the
heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is opaque in the center when
pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 35 minutes. During the last 5
minutes, stir in the corn and the 2 tablespoons cilantro.
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle
each serving with about 1 tablespoon of tortilla chips and additional cilantro.
Serve hot with the lime wedges for squeezing into the soup as desired.
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
(1 serving: 1¼ cups) 194 calories, 19
g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 3 g fiber, 66 mg cholesterol, 387 mg
sodium, 297 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 whole grain, 3 ounces meat, ½
vegetable.
Chicken and Spring Vegetable Soup |
| mysingaporekitchen.com |
Asparagus, peas, and leeks are the vegetables that give this chicken soup a lighter profile than other versions. Finish off each serving with a dollop of sour cream—just a tablespoon will do a lot to enrich the soup.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped (1 cup)
1 quart Homemade Chicken Broth (here) or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 quart water
2 large red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound asparagus, woody stems discarded, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 cup thawed frozen peas
8 tablespoons light sour cream, for serving
Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the leek to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and stir, loosening the browned bits in the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken to the pot, then stir in the water, potatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is tender and opaque when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 40 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, stir in the asparagus and peas.
Ladle into soup bowls, top each serving with 1 tablespoon of sour cream, and serve hot.
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
(1 serving: 1¼ cups) 222 calories, 23 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 3 g fiber, 75 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 725 mg potassium. Food groups: 3 ounces meat, 1 starchy vegetable, ½ vegetable.
Old-Fashioned Chicken
and Brown Rice Soup |
| tammysrecipes.com |
Nothing beats homemade chicken soup,
but there are a couple of tricks to making a truly satisfying pot. First, use
chicken thighs, as chicken breast tends to toughen and dry out with long
simmering. Also, the rice should be cooked separately. If cooked directly in
the soup, it will soak up too much of the broth and make a very thick soup.
(This is true if you want to substitute noodles for the rice, too.) Boiling the
brown rice like pasta takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
⅔cup brown rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, excess fat trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium leeks, white and pale green
parts only, chopped and well rinsed (2 cups), or 1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch
dice
2 large celery ribs, cut into ½-inch
dice
1 quart Homemade Chicken Broth (here)
or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Bring a medium saucepan of lightly
salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and reduce the heat to
medium-low. Cook at a low boil until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
Drain in a wire sieve, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large
pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, add the chicken and cook, stirring
occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the leeks, carrots, and celery to
the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Cook, occasionally uncovering and
stirring with a wooden spoon, loosening the browned bits in the bottom of the
pot with the spoon, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Return the
chicken to the pot. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil over high heat,
skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Stir in the parsley, salt,
pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the heat to medium-low and simmer,
uncovered, until the chicken is tender and opaque when pierced with the tip of
a sharp knife, about 40 minutes.
Stir in the brown rice and cook until
heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and
serve hot.
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
(1 serving: 1¼ cups) 208 calories, 20
g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 2 g fiber, 71 mg cholesterol, 540 mg
sodium, 475 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 whole grain, 3 ounces meat, ½
vegetable.
Copyright ©Marla Heller MS,RD –Originally appeared in The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook by Marla Heller MS,RD
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