Have you noticed I’m on a soup kick lately? We’re having a chilly winter in Houston and the flu is going around something fierce. Warm bowls of soup — like this Whole30 Chicken Tortilla-less Soup — help me feel like I’m warding off illness, even if that’s a total farce.
This Chicken Tortilla-less Soup is one of those easy-to-throw-together weeknight wonders that’s tasty and healthy. It happens to be grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and Whole30. It’s perfect for busy nights because you can make it in an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.
A quick piece of advice: Invest in an immersion blender. I have a basic Kitchenaid handheld blender from Target and use it all the time. Whether you cook this soup in a slow cooker or in an Instant Pot, the vegetables are chunky and the broth can seem a bit thin. A few quick pulses of the immersion blender will thicken the base and break up any large chunks of veggies. Alternately, when you remove the chicken to shred it, transfer half the broth and veggies to a food processor, purée and return to the soup pot.
Top your bowl with radish slices, cilantro, jalapeño and avocado slices. My kids add thin slices of toasted corn tortillas to their bowls, along with a grated jack cheese. Dish up a side of cheese quesadillas or steamed rice (if you’re not doing Whole30) or a scoop of steamed cauliflower rice (if you are).
Chicken Tortilla-less Soup
Add a cup of chopped spinach, kale or yellow squash to increase the vegetables in your soup.
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups shredded chicken (about one whole boneless/skinless chicken breast, four boneless/skinless chicken thighs, or the leftover meat from a rotisserie or whole chicken in the crock pot)
- 2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 5 cups chicken stock (If using an Instant Pot, decrease by one cup)
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4-5 limes, cut in quarters
Instructions
Instant Pot
Place all the ingredients, except the lime, in an Instant Pot and stir to combine. Put on the lid, set the steam release valve to "sealing" and hit the "poultry" setting.
When the Instant Pot timer goes off, manually release the steam. To do this without getting burned by the steam, use tongs to turn the valve. Once the steam releases, remove the chicken breasts from the Instant Pot and shred with two forks. Purée half the soup in a food processor or Vitamix, or use a handheld immersion blender. Add the chicken back to the pot and stir.
When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with lime juice, green onions, jalapeños, radish, cilantro, avocado slices and hot sauce to taste.
Slow Cooker Directions
Place all the ingredients, except the lime, in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-7 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Purée half the soup in a food processor or Vitamix and return it to the pot. Or use a handheld immersion blender to purée some of the soup (you don't want it completely puréd, you just want to thicken the base and break up some of the big chunks of vegetables). Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir.
When ready to serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with lime juice, green onions, jalapeños, radish, cilantro, avocado slices and hot sauce to taste.
Courses Soup
Cuisine Mexican
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