Recipes for Moms - Crock Pot Recipes

I'm from the south where comfort food isn't just a treat; it's a way of life.  Since I became a mom last year, I've been on a mission to find ways to make my favorite comfort dishes easier to prepare - enter the Crock Pot!  Here's a recipe for one of my favorite soups. It is quite filling, but doesn't break the calorie bank.  Liberties can be taken with this recipe to tailor it to your family's taste. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Cooked white chicken meat (I am being vague here, I know. You could technically used canned or pre-cooked stuff. OR you can do what I did, which was to throw a whole pound of boneless, skinless tenders in there raw and let them cook in the soup all day. They will eventually be so tender you can just pull them apart with a fork. If you like chunks, cut them up. You could also use 2-3 boneless skinless breasts.)
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes (with green chiles!), drained
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth (depends on how liquidy you like it and how big your slow cooker or pot is)
• 1 small can white shoepeg corn
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of cayenne pepper (if you like it hot)

Pour all ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for at least 4 hours or until chicken is very tender. This can also be made on the stovetop in a stockpot, where it should simmer for at least 2 hours. If using the stovetop recipe, cook chicken before adding other ingredients.
Top with grated cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.

Recommendation: If you like tortilla strips, buy your own corn or flour tortillas, cut into small strips and toss into a deep fryer or pan of hot oil until crisp. If you choose to use tortilla chips, the blue ones are excellent with this soup and are best when crushed into the bottom of the bowl with the soup ladeled over the top.

 Enjoy!

Jen Lane is the Feeding Toddler Editor here at Foodie Mama. For more comforting recipes, visit her blog Hey, Y'all, a blog about food and family.