Family Table With Jenna: Tortilla Soup

A NOTE FROM JENNA:

I am officially willing the cooler fall weather to get here, and this cozy chicken tortilla soup is helping me do it! I absolutely love tortilla soup, and this version is packed with colorful veggies, hearty ingredients, and all of my favorite toppings.

One of my favorite things about a meal like this is that everyone can make their own bowl exactly how they like it. Add extra cheese, load it up with avocado, add a slice of jalapeño, pile on the tortilla strips, or add a big squeeze of lime—there really isn’t a wrong way to enjoy it.

It’s warm, cozy and delicious, and honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what we need around the dinner table.

AROUND THE TABLE

Some of our best family conversations happen over dinner. Here are a few fun questions to get everyone talking—you never know where the conversation will go!

• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you choose?
• What’s something you’re really good at?
• If you could create your very own Halloween costume, what would it be?

BUILD A RAINBOW PLATE

A rainbow plate doesn’t have to be complicated—and it definitely doesn’t have to include every color every time.

While the soup is cooking, put out a plate of colorful fruits and vegetables for everyone to snack on. It gives kids something fresh to munch on while dinner comes together and can be an easy way to introduce foods they might not otherwise try.

Try adding: cherry tomatoes, cantaloupe, peaches, broccoli, blueberries, plums 

Let the kids help wash, peel, arrange and choose what goes on the plate. And don’t worry if they don’t eat everything—or even try everything. Sometimes just putting something new on their plate is a win!

TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, or about 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or canned
• 4 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings: Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar, thin slices of jalapeño, lime wedges, Greek yogurt or sour cream

Directions:

1.  PREP YOUR INGREDIENTS. Dice the onion and bell pepper, chop the carrots, mince the garlic, and have all your spices ready to go. If you’re using fresh corn, cut it right off the cob.

2. COOK THE CHICKEN. If you’re using raw chicken, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and add it to the pot. Cook until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using rotisserie chicken, skip this step and add the shredded chicken later with the broth, beans and corn.

3. BUILD THE FLAVOR. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots to the same pot. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, then add the garlic, chicken bouillon, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika and oregano. Stir everything together and let those spices get nice and fragrant.

4. MAKE IT SOUP! Add the stewed tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken broth and shredded chicken. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Let it cook until the vegetables are tender and all those cozy flavors come together.

5. FINISH WITH LIME. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

6. BUILD YOUR BOWL. Set out all your favorite toppings and let everyone make their own bowl. More cheese? Extra avocado? A mountain of tortilla strips? Go for it! There really isn’t a wrong way to build your tortilla soup.