Chicken Enchilada Soup

I love chicken enchiladas. The one thing I’m not so fond of is all the preparation that goes along with making them - that and the waiting, of course. Craving enchiladas the other day, I decided to try something a little different. And it turned out amazingly delicious. Given all the ingredients that go into enchiladas, I figured it would make a great, tasty soup. And I was right. Originally, I was planning on making this a creamy, cheesy soup, but, half way through cooking, I changed my mind. I decided that, instead of adding the cheese directly into the soup, it would work better as an add-in, along with sour cream and tortilla chips. While all three are optional, I highly recommend adding them. Also, one of the best things about this recipe (aside from its simplicity) is the fact that no additional seasoning is necessary. It’s flavorful enough just the way it is.

4 cups chicken broth

2 lbs. chicken breasts, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 - 15.25-oz. cans southwest corn (with poblano & red peppers), drained

1 - 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 cup salsa

1 - 10-oz. can enchilada sauce (any variety)

2 - 16-oz. cans refried beans

Tortilla chips, crushed

Pepper Jack cheese

Sour cream

In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken and onions; continue boiling for 15-20 minutes. Add corn and black beans. Stir and continue boiling an additional 15 minutes. Stir in the salsa, enchilada sauce and refried beans until the beans are incorporated into the soup. Cook until heated through. When serving, top with chips, cheese and sour cream.