Tortilla soup a fast fave for family dinner
Quick-to-prepare recipe uses everyday ingredients
I owe the idea to well-meaning fans, who over the years would approach me to thank me for the genius of making 10-minute-meals.
I never had the heart to correct them: I hosted Ten Dollar Dinners.
Ten-minute meals, I always mused, would be about a thousand versions of PB&J, which sounded like hard television to pitch my producer.
But the idea marinated. And then it became a challenge: What could I make in 10 minutes that wouldn’t be a PB & J?
While most of my recipes are weeknight-friendly — that’s simply how I cook with four kiddos to feed before the activity flurry — I decided to create recipes that were extra quick for those nights when even a half-hour seems impossible to find.
Today’s recipe is one of the dinners that came from this project. Ten-Minute Tortilla Soup is filling comfort food that I feel good about serving my family. It’s simple but tasty, and my kids love it.
I’ll caveat the 10 minutes by saying that the dinner does take advantage of some prepared items, such as purchased salsa, canned black beans and leftover chicken.
But these items are healthy pantry staples that you probably have on hand, and have a long shelf-life, including the chicken: Freezing up chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken for weeknight dinners is an excellent habit for weeknight cooks anyway.
And the recipe is pretty flexible. Skip the cheese and add avocado cubes, if you prefer, or if that’s what you have on hand.
Use ground beef instead of chicken. Or even Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. Make it spicy or mild.
However you choose, I promise you this: It will be quick.
Ten-Minute Tortilla Soup
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 10 minutes
3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium chicken broth
4 corn tortillas (about 5-inch/12.5cm diameter), cut into quarters
1/2 cup (125 mL) prepared mild or medium red salsa
1/4 cup (60 mL) prepared mild or medium green salsa
1 tbsp (15 mL) lime or lemon juice 1 cup (250 mL) cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1 cup (250 mL) shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup (60 mL) plain low-fat Greek
yogurt
1/4 cup (60 mL) shredded jack cheese
1 tbsp (15 mL) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), or other seed or crushed tortilla chip
Fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired
Heat the broth and tortillas in a saucepan over medium high heat to simmer. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to soften tortilla.
Pour the mixture into a blender,
and add the salsas and lime juice. Very carefully blend the mixture until smooth, about one minute.
Do not fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquids and do not cover the blender completely; use a kitchen towel to help.
Pour the mixture back into the pan, add the chicken and beans and reheat for another two minutes on medium high heat.
Pour the soup into individual bowls, and top with the yogurt, cheese, pepitas and cilantro, and serve.