Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup

November is here and it is soup weather.  Yesterday was so gloomy - so it was the perfect day to try this recipe.  SO glad I did! I had found several recipes for a chicken taco soup on the blogs I follow.  Some called for using leftover cooked ( or rotisserie ) chicken, some made on the stove top, and many for the crock pot.   I made this one  that I found on kristineskithcenblog.com and made a few adjustments with ingredients I had on hand and our tastes.   It was delicious and will be in the regular soup rotation here at Our New Vista!

Here is the recipe  -

1 cup mild salsa

15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

15 ounce can of corn, drained

14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning ( mild ) or store-bought

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Toppings - Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, grated cheese, avocado, green onion, tortilla chips.

* I made several changes to the original recipe and you will see that below - 

First, I sprayed the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.  Then I added an entire jar (about 15 ounces) of MEDIUM salsa to the crock pot.  I figured we were not going to eat the leftover salsa and it would just make more soup...and the medium would be a bit more flavorful.

I did not have any pinto beans in the pantry, so I used two cans of black beans...

Once they were rinsed I added the beans to the pot...

And, I did not have a can of corn...so I measure out 15 ounces of frozen corn.

I used one 15 ounce can of vegetable broth instead of chicken...I also used a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and added water to the can and poured in the pot to get all the little bits of tomato out.

I used store bought taco seasoning...reduced sodium version.

Stir all the ingredients together well.

I also used a little more chicken....about 1 1/2 pounds...

Place the chicken breasts into the soup mixture and submerge them...

Chicken should be fully covered by the soup mixture...

Set the crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours.  While cooking you can watch the Philadelphia Eagles lose another Sunday afternoon game, or talk on the phone with friends, or make a nice cup of coffee and read a good book...all the while you can start to smell a delicious soup cooking for supper.

Once time is up, remove chicken from the soup and shred  -

An easy way to shred chicken is to put in in a mixer while it is still warm...

Using a regular beater it takes less than a minute to shred the chicken perfectly.

Add the chicken back into the soup...

Stir well...

And supper is ready !   It was the first time I made this, but it turned out wonderfully.  

I topped it with some plain, fat free Greek yogurt, a little shredded cheddar cheese, and some crumbled up tortilla chips.   It was a huge hit - and made enough to freeze for two more meals.  If you try this , please let me know how you liked it, and if you made any adjustments to make the recipe your own.

Thanksgiving week...what a year - and yet, SO much for which to be thankful.  My heart is full of gratitude for my husband and that he survived a heart attack this year.  I am so thankful for all the doctors, nurses, therapists, ambulance EMTs, and everyone who participated in helping him recover.  Thankful for my family and all the support they gave this year, thankful for our wonderful friends - near and far - who gave love, prayers, food, and laughs.  Thankful for being safe, sound, and able to share a quiet Thanksgiving for just the two of us.  And thankful for my faith...my trust in God helped me through this year and continues to make everyday a Thanksgiving.

Thank you so much for stopping by Our New Vista today!  How are you celebrating Thanksgiving ?  Cooking a big turkey or like us, a tiny little 3 pound breast?  I would love if you would leave a comment below - and wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!