We recently enjoyed a soup that may be one of the best soups we’ve ever eaten. It was so good that we both consumed two large bowls of it in record time and agreed that it needs to be added to “the rotation.” In addition to tasting incredible, it was very easy to make (with a number of items that are already in your pantry) and it was super healthy and nutritious. (Here’s looking at you, Dr. Ray Luna.)
I was thrilled when we had our recent cold snap and hoped it would last longer. I should have known it was just a tease – or actually Indian Summer – you know, that period of time in the fall when it gets warm and mild after already experiencing some cold weather.
You know I love soup and eat it year round, although most people consider fall and winter to actually be soup season. So when the weather turned cold, I was all ready to bring out our tried and true favorite soups, while also discovering and adding some new and different ones to the collection.
This recipe comes to us today via Caroline Chambers who I discovered on Substack. Not familiar with Substack? Don’t fret. I wasn’t either, until about a year ago when a writer friend of mine turned me onto it. Substack is a publishing platform for independent writers, journalists and creators to build and monetize newsletters. It functions as a hybrid blog, newsletter and social platform, allowing creators to publish articles, podcasts and videos directly to subscribers via email or on their Substack website. The platform offers monetization through paid subscriptions, taking a 10% cut of revenue.
Anyway, there’s a wealth of content there from a variety of topics. Naturally, I gravitated toward the cooking/recipe sites. Through it, I’ve discovered an array of (new to me) recipe creators and cookbook writers that I follow regularly now, thus opening the doors to numerous new dishes, meal ideas, tips, tricks, hacks and such.
Caroline Chambers is a New York Times Best Selling cookbook author, recipe developer, and culinary expert based in Carmel Valley, California. Her Substack is entitled “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking,” the same name as her second published cookbook.
You really owe it to yourself and your loved ones to make this soup as soon as possible. You will not be disappointed. It may look involved, but I promise it is not. Hesitant about the kale? Don’t be. It cooks down so tender, is basically tasteless, yet so good for you. Don’t like cilantro? Leave it out. I included my own notes at the end of the recipe and Caroline even gave us tips on how to freeze it. Fix this immediately. You can thank me later.
Green Chicken Tortilla Soup
By Caroline Chambers
Tortilla strips:
- 8 corn tortillas, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Green Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- 48 ounces (6 cups) low-sodium chicken stock (aka 1½ 32-ounce boxes)
- 1 (16- or 24-ounce) jar salsa verde or tomatillo salsa
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles (don’t drain)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained but not rinsed (cannellini, navy, great Northern, or even chickpeas or kidney beans)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (raw)
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen white corn (or 2 cans drained)
- 3 cups chopped kale (if you buy the bagged, pre-chopped kale, pick out the tough stems)
- 1 cup cilantro (leaves and stems), finely chopped
- Kosher salt
Toppings:
- Tortilla strips or chips
- Chopped avocado
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
To make the tortilla strips: Toss the tortilla slices, 2 tablespoons oil, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder on a rimmed baking sheet until the tortilla strips are evenly coated. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy and browned.
To make the soup: dump 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 jar of salsa verde, 1 can green chiles (not drained), 2 cans drained (not rinsed) white beans, 2 pounds chicken thighs, 1 diced zucchini, 1½ teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika into a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Pull the chicken out and shred it by using two forks to pull it apart. Stir it back into the pot along with 1 bag of frozen white corn, 3 cups chopped kale, and 1 cup chopped cilantro. When the kale is wilted, taste the soup. Depending on how salty your stock and beans were, you may or may not need to add more salt.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with tortilla strips (or chips), sour cream, avocado, more cilantro, and/or lots of cheese.
To freeze: Let any leftovers come to room temp then pour into a freezer-safe bag (or bags). Freeze it in portion sizes that you’ll serve when you reheat, whether that’s a gallon-size bag if you’re feeding a family or a sandwich bag if you’ll want it for yourself for a single meal. Once filled, lay the bag flat out on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer. When it’s frozen, remove it from the sheet-pan and you’ll have a thin, easy-to-store sheet of soup ready to reheat and eat later this fall or winter!
My notes:
