Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm taking my New Year's resolutions/goals to heart. At least when it comes to using my crockpot more. I've even rearranged some of my kitchen cabinets to make the crockpot more accessible. That's like giving it its own drawer in a relationship, I'm in it for the long haul.

I made a similar tortilla soup last year but on the stove top instead. This year, I don't have a giant soup pot anymore (#moving) and the crockpot is the largest bowl I have to seemed worth some Googling to find a good recipe. I'm learning that it's really easy to make things up to cook in the crockpot, especially with soup where as long as you have enough liquid, you're good. Also, I know this is called chicken tortilla soup but I didn't add tortilla this time and chicken soup is already a thing so it's just chicken tortilla soup, sans tortilla.

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. Her recipe came up at the top of my Google search and I used to watch her show back when I had serious cable and the Food Network. Now I just follow her on Instagram and check for recipes.

As always, all of the ingredients go into the pot: chicken, black beans (drained), diced tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, onion, jalapeno, garlic, tomato paste, spices and all of the broth. The chicken came out so tender, I was in awe. Even trying to spear a piece with a fork to shred, it literally just fell right off. If there were bones to chicken breasts, I would say the meat fell right off the bone (in this case, it fell right off the fork).

 

You can garnish this any which way you choose: crispy tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado. I stuck with just avocado, another kitchen love affair in the making.

Recipe
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 1 1/2-2 lbs. chicken breasts
• 1 14.5oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn (I used frozen but you can use canned if you drain it first)
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot, making sure everything is covered with broth. You can use more broth if you want more of a soup, less if you want more of a stew.
2. Stir to combine the spices and tomato paste.
3. Set to high and cook for 3-4 hours (or low for 7-8). Cook until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
4. Using two forks, shred the chicken.
5. Serve hot with avocado (or cheese or sour cream or tortilla chips).

White Bean and Chorizo Stew

Keeping in line with my resolution to use my crockpot more, I bring you stew! I've officially upgraded the storage location of the slow cooker from the lower cabinet all the way in the back where I can barely reach it to an above the fridge cabinet. Easily accessible and doesn't require contortion to remove.

New this round is also a test of crockpot liners. I've found when using anything tomato-based, the bright white of my crockpot is harder to achieve and takes up my entire sink soaking. So for those occasions when tomato is needed, I think I'll continue using these Reynold's liners.

Super simple: everything is thrown into the crockpot and set to cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 6-8). I used chorizo sausage which was already cooked so added that in the last half hour of cooking to warm it up. If you're using raw meat though, brown it first and add to the crockpot at the start of the cooking period.

This is what we call a hearty stew, chopped full of goodies and not as broth-based as soup. Typically I go for buffalo chicken dip for the Super Bowl but this would also make for a great and easy dish to bring to a party. Even if the Patriots aren't playing.

If you're in the market for a new slow cooker (or anything else for your home, for that matter), Wayfair has a great selection with a variety of sizes and features. One lucky reader could win a $100 gift certificate, courtesy of Wayfair to be used towards anything from the site! The contest continues until there's a new Super Bowl champ so plenty of time to enter.

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And while you're surfing the internet, check out these other game day recipes:

Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ from Eat.Live.Blog
Buffalo Chicken Empanadas from Appetite for Instruction
DIY Snack Stadium from Wife in Progress
Homemade Pimento Cheese Stuffed Sliders from Aimee Broussard
Taco Dip from Anchors and Bows
Corn "Tamale" with Black Beans and More from Good Cook Doris

Recipe

• 13 oz. Chorizo (sliced)
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 cup carrots
• 2 cans (15 oz.) Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup broth

1. Chop the peppers, onion, zucchini and carrots into bite-sized pieces. Add to the slow cooker.
2. Drain and rinse the Northern beans (or white beans of choice). Add to the slow cooker.
3. Pour the can of crushed tomatoes and broth over vegetables.
4. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
5. About 1 hour before the cooking time is over, add the sliced Chorizo. 
6. Serve warm and cuddled under a blanket watching some football. 

Sweet Potato Crockpot Chili

Alright, kicking off these kitchen resolutions right. Making my meals for the week on Sunday has saved me a lot of time and money throughout the week not ordering take out or buying lunch. I'm okay eating the same thing every day for lunch but I prefer to have some variety at least between lunch and dinner which means making two batches of something over the weekend.

The crockpot makes this super easy because I can just set it up and while it cooks, I can make another meal--or watch a lot of Netflix. This recipe came from a simple search for crockpot recipes on Pinterest. So many things on Pinterest.

If I were to make it again, I would add some ground turkey (brown it first) but as it were, this is veggie friendly. There will be a lot of chopping at first, there was so much crying with the onion chopping, so many tears. It's really quite the safety hazard to be blinded while using a knife. Just sayin'.

The vegetables are combined in a crockpot with three cups of broth, can of beans (drained and rinsed), crushed tomatoes and quinoa. Stir everything together and add your spices. More chili powder for some heat.

Set the crockpot to high and cook for four hours or until the sweet potatoes are soft. I served this with avocado on top. Plus it inspired lunch envy at work, win!

Recipe

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 can of kidney (or black) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Avocado (for topping)

1. Once the vegetables are chopped and ready, combine with the beans, crushed tomatoes, quinoa and broth in the crockpot.
2. Stir in the spices.
3. Set the crockpot to high and cook for 4 hours or until the sweet potatoes are soft. 
4. Serve hot and top with avocado or cheese.