Description
Mexican-inspired slow cooker chicken tortilla soup brings hearty comfort to dinner tables with minimal preparation. Robust spices, tender chicken, and crisp toppings create a satisfying meal you can easily enjoy any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups canned or frozen corn
- 1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
- 1 cup Pace Picante Sauce
- 2 (10.5 oz / 298 g) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- Sour cream (optional)
- Olives (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine Pace Picante Sauce, cream of chicken soup, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, corn, cumin, hot sauce, and water in a 6-quart slow cooker, whisking to create a robust and harmonious base.
- Cooking Foundation: Nestle whole chicken breasts into the liquid mixture, ensuring complete submersion, then cover and set slow cooker to LOW temperature for 4 hours, allowing ingredients to simmer and develop deep, complex flavors.
- Meat Transformation: Extract chicken breasts and meticulously shred using two forks, then reintegrate into the sauce, stirring to distribute the tender meat evenly throughout the liquid.
- Final Embellishment: Incorporate crispy tortilla strips and sharp cheddar cheese, continuing to cook on LOW for 15 minutes to meld flavors and slightly melt the cheese.
- Serving Flourish: Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, and optionally top each portion with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced olives to elevate the soup’s texture and aromatic profile.
Notes
- Optimize Cooking Time: Monitor chicken breasts closely to prevent overcooking, ensuring they remain tender and juicy during the 4-hour slow cooking process.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Gently toast cumin in a dry skillet before adding to the slow cooker for a richer, more intense spice profile that elevates the entire dish.
- Perfect Shredding Technique: Allow cooked chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes after shredding to absorb maximum sauce flavor and maintain optimal moisture.
- Customize Heat Level: Adjust hot sauce quantity to personalize spiciness, keeping in mind that Rotel tomatoes and Pace Picante Sauce already contribute significant zest to the soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg