Santa Fe Chicken and Rice Soup

Here is another copycat soup. I was inspired yet again from a can of Progresso soup. This soup is sort of like a light version of taco soup. Or maybe the soup version of Santa Fe Rice and Beans. It is all the yummy ingredients of tex mex in a savory broth. I love the snap of the corn and the creamy black beans. The tomatoes and chilies really add great flavor to the broth too. I made this soup twice once with can tomatoes and hatch chilies I roasted myself. It was good and spicy. The next time I used a can of tomatoes with green chilies and it had a milder heat. So you can choose your perfect spice level. Both are delicious. Now I had no intention of adding cheese to this soup, but dear sister did. It is totally optional but really good. It taste even more like Santa Fe Rice and Beans with the cheesy garnish. Now let me tell you the best part about this soup. The leftovers! There is something about that time in the frig that makes the broth addictive. I would definitely consider making it ahead of time if you can wait that long.

Santa Fe Chicken and Rice Soup

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. chicken fat, olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups unsalted chicken stock

15 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained*

15 oz. no salt added corn, undrained

15 oz. low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

2- 2-1/2 cups cooked chicken diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 cup instant rice

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste
Mexican blend cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions

Place 3-1/2 quart soup pot on medium high heat, add olive oil and onion. Saute until onion is translucent and begins to brown. Add garlic, salt and pepper saute 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients except rice; bring to a boil. Add rice lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until rice is cooked. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Serve garnished with cheese (optional).

*Note: For a low sodium or spicier version; substitute 15 oz. no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained and 2 roasted hatch chilies, deseeded and chopped for the can tomatoes with green chilies.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Spinach and Artichoke Tortellini Soup

Do you love spinach and artichoke dip? I do! Well here is one you can eat with a spoon. It is another "Souper Supper" tortellini soup. I love one pot, easy meals. You know the kind that you can make on a weeknight in less than 30 minutes. I also love the combination of spinach, artichokes and cheese. Whoever created spinach and artichoke dip was a genius. I usually make a copycat recipe for Houston's spinach and artichoke dip. It uses marinate artichokes, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese; this is where I pulled inspiration for this great soup. It is so easy. You start with a saute of onion, garlic and artichokes. Season with red pepper and Italian seasoning; adding some of those flavors you would find in marinated artichokes. Then you add chicken broth to boil the tortellini. Most of the cheesy goodness is in the spinach and cheese tortellini. When the pasta is almost cooked you add the fresh baby spinach. The finishing creamy touch is half and half. I did add some parm for a cheesy garnish. It is so so good! In fact I have made it twice. Dear sister loved it too. The second time she said, "This is even better than I remember." So you have to try it now. One more thing this soup is like all the other tortellini soups, they are great leftovers. The flavor seems to blend and really infuse the tortellini by the next day! All in all this is another delicious, speedy, dip-able, weeknight supper soup.

Spinach and Artichoke Tortellini Soup

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper (3 to 4 grinds)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
6 cups fat-free, unsalted chicken stock

9 oz. package spinach and cheese tortellini

5 oz. bag of fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup half and half

Parmesan, shredded to garnish

Directions

Place 3-1/2 quart soup pot on medium high heat, add olive oil and onion. Saute until onion is translucent and begins to brown. Add garlic, salt, peppers and Italian seasoning saute 1 minute. Add artichokes and saute 1 or 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini, simmer 4 minutes. Add spinach and continue to simmer 4 more minutes. Add half and half and taste for seasoning, adjust to taste. Do not let the soup simmer after adding the half and half. Keep warm on low heat. Serve garnished with Parmesan.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This soup has been years in the making. I began developing this recipe after making someone else's version of Chicken Pot Pie Soup. It was good but not what I thought of when I hear chicken pot pie. I have been tweaking it a little each time I make it until I decided this is how I want to make it every time. This is the third recipe I made with those baked chickens I made a few weeks ago. You are probably thinking to yourself what took her so long to post this? Or maybe, she isn't using week old chicken? No the photos are that old. I had a slight mishap when taking my photos. You see, I will let you in on a little secret. Sometimes food stylist place a small dish in soup bowls so the ingredients sit on the bowl and show up at or above the liquid in the soup. This usually works well. See the bowl in the fore ground, you can see all the ingredients. The bowl in the background not so much. But this time, the little bowl I used floated up above the liquid. I did not notice it until I went to edit the photos. I never watch the ingredients in the bowl when I take the photos. You would think the food should stay put right? I am always look at the composition. Whoops! Well it has taken me this long to photoshop the photos and muster the courage to go ahead and post them anyway. I am a novice at photoshop and had a hard time making that little bowl disappear. The soup on the other hand disappeared fast. This soup has all the creamy, savory goodness of a chicken pot pie without the crust. I love all the veggies. You can use your favorites. I have tried many combinations and they are all great. But I have to say this combo of onion, celery, carrots, peas and potatoes is what makes it like my favorite pot pie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp. chicken fat, olive oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic smashed
1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced
2 cans healthy request cream of celery or cream of chicken soup (I like 1 of ea.)
4 cups fat-free unsalted chicken stock 
2 cups water 
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Herbs de provenance
2-1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste 
1/4 tsp. black pepper, or to taste 
Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup half and half

Directions 

In a Dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery and carrot in chicken fat over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper; sauté until veggies begin to soften. When onion is translucent and starts to get golden, add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add potatoes, cream soup, chicken stock, water, bay leaf, Herbs de provenance and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add chicken and peas to pot; bring back to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Simmer for 5 minutes or until peas are thawed and chicken is warm through. Add half and half, stir to combine. Remove bay leaf, turn off heat and serve.

See that little white bowl peeking through the soup and veggies. 

Sneaky little bowl!

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky