Chicken Tortilla Soup (Slow Cooker/ or Instant Pot Cooker)

Chicken Tortilla Soup is filled with many ethnic ingredients to create a filling and savory side dish or a soup that could be served as the main meal. This is a hearty and enjoyable combination of vegetables, meat and seasonings that are combined to create a flavorful soup for any meal.

This was in California a few years back when I first visited a Mexican restaurant (On the Borders), and it happened, yes! love at first sight with a spoon of slurpicious chicken tortilla soup! I fell in love with this bowl of creamy goodness! Since then whenever I am in a Mexican restaurant without even blinking I order this soup to start my course of meal! I like On the Borders recipe a lot! There are times when I am totally disappointed by what they serve and I don't shy away from telling the server about it.

The smoky flavors of the soup gets me all warm and fuzzy! Then the goodness of avocado gives all the creaminess texture to it and the tanginess of tomatoes along with cumin and chilli pwd makes this soup very irresistible.

I tried making it in a slow-cooker and the results were amazing! Then I tried it in my Instant Pot Cooker using slow cook mode, excellent results. Gotta use that slow cooker pot once in a while- don't want it to feel lonely lol. You can cook it in a regular way too. Makes a great 1 pot meal and is very very filling. Less work, less cleanup, great flavors and a filling dish! Who can say no to that :)

Let us take a look at the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 chicken drumsticks  or (2 whole boneless chicken breasts)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 & 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
• 32 ounces chicken stock (low sodium)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup garbanzo (originally use  black beans (15 oz. can))
• 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo (very spicy and smoky flavor, use more if you need spicy)
• salt and pepper as per taste

For Garnish:

• 3 corn tortillas (or regular tortilla)
• sour cream
• diced avocado
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro
• lime
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Preparation:

• Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle, and garbanzo (black beans). Stir, place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 5 hours or high (or 8 hours on low.) Stir in the lime juice.
• Using 2 forks, break up the chicken into chunks (or you may shred it more fine). Once its cooked chicken basically starts falling off the bone. Taste and add more salt if the soup needs it. 
• Now warm the corn tortilla on a griddle/tava on both sides till it is little hard (not soft). You can deep fry it too but former option is much better! Cut into strips of 2-3 inches.
• Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro leaves, and corn strips!

Preparation using Instant Pot Cooker :

• Place the chicken in the Instant pot Inner vessel.  Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper on the top (or use taco seasoning packet). Add the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle, and garbanzo (black beans). Stir, place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal on venting and hit slow cook button, adjust the time for 6 hours. 
• Open the lid, using 2 forks, break up the chicken into chunks (or you may shred it more fine). Once its cooked chicken basically starts falling off the bone. Taste and add more salt if the soup needs it. 
• Stir in the lime juice.
• Now warm the corn tortilla on a griddle/tava on both sides till it is little hard (not soft). You can deep fry it too but former option is much better! Cut into strips of 2-3 inches.
• Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro leaves, and corn strips!

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* I have tried this soup many times, using both ways- cumin and chilli powder and sometimes adding packet of taco seasoning, it comes out good every single time! Also I like to add meat with the bones as it imparts more depth and taste to the broth and taste.

recipe courtesy Pioneer Woman.

Health Benefits: Chicken is a very good source of protein. It helps one build muscles, keeps your bones healthy, relieves stress, boosts immunity and promotes heart health. Always buy organic or a good quality chicken and try to include it in your diet regularly. Avocado is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber and is known to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The beans again is a good source of proteins and nutrients!

Capsicum Besan Zunka (Capsicum with Gram Flour)

Today I made capsicum(bell pepper) with besan after a hiatus and Boy! was I pleased or what? This is one of the quickest, simplest and yummiest sabji recipes that's out there. It is a famous north Karnataka/ Maharashtrian dish that I grew up eating. I do miss those tender small sized capsicum which is way more flavorful than the bell peppers that we get here in the USA. Thankfully there is no major change of taste when you cook it with gram flour and spices. This makes a perfect  mid-week side dish!

Let us check out the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 capsicum (bell peppers) med size
• 1/4th tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 4-5 curry leaves
• pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• salt as per taste
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 6 tsp gram flour (besan)
• 3 tbsp oil
• lemon juice optional

Preparation:

• Cut capsicum, remove seeds and chop into cubes. 
• In a nonstick pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add hing, turmeric powder, red chili powder and curry leaves. Stir quickly and add capsicum. Mix everything and saute. Cover the pan and steam cook over medium-low heat. Do not add water. Stir occasionally.
• Once capsicum becomes soft, add salt to taste. 
• Now sprinkle 1 tbsp gram flour at a time over the capsicum. Stir nicely and continue adding besan till done. Mix gently, cover and cook until gram flour gets cooked.  If it is too dry add little oil.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze lemon juice before serving capsicum bhaji with rice or rotis.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes: Sometimes I add 3/4th tsp of ginger garlic paste to make it little spicy and flavorful.

Health Benefits- Being rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, bell pepper provides several anti-cancer benefits. Vitamin C is vital for maintaining a healthy immune system and for building strong collagen to support skin and joints. It is instrumental in lowering the risk of arthritis and reducing inflammation. It lowers the cholesterol levels and triglycerides. It kills the ulcer-causing bacteria in the stomach and boosts immunity. I had read somewhere that 1 bell pepper (red) is equivalent to 2 oranges:)