Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe by Catherine Pla

Serves 4-6

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

You may want more heat so feel free to add chili flakes, cayenne, or chili powder. Be sure to taste your soup before serving for heat and salt, to make it the way you prefer.

• 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

• 1⁄2 a large yellow onion, chopped

• 2 bell peppers, red, yellow, orange or green, diced

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

• 1⁄2 t red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 t ground cumin

• 1 t chili powder

• 1 t onion powder

• 1 t garlic powder

• 1 t dried oregano

• Kosher salt and black pepper

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

• 3 c chicken broth (depending on how thick you want your soup)

• 1 28-oz can (or 2 14-oz cans) chopped tomatoes, fire-roasted if available

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, or more if you like more spice

• Juice of one lime

• 1 T chopped cilantro

• Garnishes:

• Lime wedges

• Chopped green onions

• Chopped cilantro

• Cubed avocado

• Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack

• Sour cream

• Tortilla chips

Place chicken thighs in the bottom of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Season with cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Add in the onion, peppers, beans, tomatoes, broth, and chipotle pepper to the slow cooker and stir it all around the edges to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4 hours).

Add the juice of one lime, and shred the chicken with 2 forks or chop. Taste and add salt if needed (probably) and a few grindings of black pepper. Stir in chopped cilantro. If you want more spice, stir in 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne or more chili powder or adobo.

Serve with desired garnishes. It’s even better the next day.