Chicken Enchilada Soup

I did so much cooking on Sunday. It's actually kind of ridiculous. But there was a reason for it all. I mentioned before that, once I get home, I'm literally too tired that I don't even feel like making myself a decent meal. Last week, I had some boring and not-so-great dinners. I decided that I needed to cook a whole bunch of something when I do have time (like during the weekend) to last me the whole week. It's great to be thinking on the drive home about what's waiting for me in the fridge. And it was especially convenient for a day like yesterday when the faculty meeting lasted until 6:15 and I got home at 7, way past food time!

I love soup because I can get a whole week's worth of dinners out of one batch, so that's exactly what I made. The enchilada sauce definitely adds more flavor so that it doesn't just taste like tomatoes and chili powder. The essential veggies and protein are in this soup: black beans, corn, and chicken, but you can mix in whatever else you'd like! I left out hominy because I didn't have it on hand. I also left out the masa harina. It's used to thicken the soup, but the soup was plenty thickened without it. I've read online that finely ground tortillas is a great substitute for masa harina if you do not have that on hand.



Chicken Enchilada Soup
From Babble

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 14.5-oz cans chicken broth
1/4 cup masa harina (fine corn meal)
1/2 cup water
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp oregano flakes
1 15.5-oz can black beans, washed and drained
1 4-oz can green chilies, chopped
1 can white hominy, washed and drained (optional)
2 cups frozen sweet yellow corn
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cayenne pepper sauce (like Frank’s)

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat and brown chicken breasts. Shred or cube and set aside.

To the pot, add onions and garlic; saute for 2 minutes or until onions are translucent. Pour in chicken broth.

In small bowl, combine/whisk masa harina with water. Add masa harina mixture to the onions, garlic and broth. Add everything else (except chicken) and bring to boil.

Finally, add chicken and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until thickened. Add more water as needed. Serve with garnish (lime, cilantro, grated cheese, crumbled tortillas, sour cream) and cornbread.