Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sarah

So, Thursdays are always really busy evenings for us. Ben and I usually get home around 5:20, 5:30ish and then it’s rush rush rush to eat dinner, clean up, play with the cats a bit, and make it to our church small group at 7. [Well, 7ish… I’m naturally a pretty punctual person, but sometimes make it a habit to be places late when I know everyone else is going to be late and it’s awkward to be early. Know what I mean?] Basically this means we need to leave by 6:45 at the latest to be there relatively on time, thanks to the massive amounts of road construction in Bloomington right now.

Lots to do in an hour or so. That’s our Thursday. You can probably relate, yes?

Our routine used to be that Thursdays were leftover nights. I’m not sure where that got derailed, but it did, and so that left us with a gaping hole in the fridge [and our stomachs] last Thursday. Fortunately, I was able to whip up this incredible soup to fill the gap!

30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup | The Pajama Chef

I know Chicken Tortilla Soup is nothing original, but I was proud of myself for a) making this recipe up as I went along [after perusing a few recipes online earlier in the week, and no, I don’t have a photographic memory], and more importantly, b) making this WHOLE SOUP in under 30 minutes!! Yes, the whole soup… chopping, cooking, and all. All I did was let the chicken and [homemade] chicken broth defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then when it came time to make the soup, I started preheating the stockpot as I chopped the onion and minced the garlic, then cut up the chicken as the onion and garlic were cooking. As the chicken was cooking, I measured out the rest of the ingredients in assembly line fashion, added them when appropriate, and was ladling up this spicy, aromatic soup by 6 pm! I was quite pleased with myself for this timely performance.

And boy, was I even more pleased once I took the first bite of this Chicken Tortilla Soup! The broth is spicy, but not too hot–you can really taste the different flavors and the subtle heat that comes from paprika versus cumin versus chili powder. Nothing too intense, but it blends nicely with the chicken that is cooked with a dose of taco seasoning. Then, accompanying the chicken in the broth is corn and two kinds of beans; my favorite black beans and also another Mexi-food staple: pinto beans. Rounding out the soup is a bit of fresh cilantro and lime, as well as some cornstarch to thicken it up a bit. Then you can top the soup with whatever toppings you desire. I liked the combination of chopped tomatoes, avocado, and tortilla chips the best. Oh! And cheese and more cilantro. Just too many to remember, I guess. It was just so good…

30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup | The Pajama Chef

There’s no doubt that this Chicken Tortilla Soup requires a speedy, dedicated-to-cooking 30 minutes, that’s for sure, but it has a tasty result at the end so I suggest you give it a try next time you need a hearty dinner in a hurry! The leftovers ain’t bad either–this is definitely a soup that improves with age. Off to my busy Thursday–wish I had everything to make this soup again for dinner tonight. 🙂

30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • Servings: 6
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning [this is my go-to]
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups corn
  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in just enough warm water to be pourable
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • toppings: salsa, avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, green onions, tomato

Directions:

In a large stockpot set over medium heat, saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft. Add chicken and taco seasoning to the pot, then stir to coat. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Pour in chicken broth, then stir in beans, corn, paprika, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch, lime juice, and cilantro, then season with black pepper to taste.

Serve with toppings as desired.

Reviews

Book Review: Inescapable

Sarah

So, I hate to admit that I am a bit behind on my book reviews that are part of the blogger review program for Bethany House Publishers, a well-respected publisher of Christian fiction and other Christian titles. Fortunately, they are extremely graceful, and for that, I thank them. But just because I am behind does not mean that I am not a fan of Nancy Mehl’s Inescapable or the next book I’ll review soon [with Ben’s help!].

Inescapable book cover

Here is the description of the book from the publisher:

Lizzie Engel ran away from her Mennonite hometown and swore she’d never return. But five years later, a stalker and a string of threatening letters have left her with no other option. Back in Kingdom, Lizzie attempts to plan her next move with the help of her old friend Noah Housler—and realizes she may not have left her roots as firmly in the past as she’d thought. When it becomes clear that the danger has followed her to Kingdom, Lizzie no longer knows who to trust.

As with my usual style… here’s my five point review!

  • This was a super fast read. From the first pages, you’re sucked into Lizzie’s story, interested her welfare as well as that of her young daughter, Charity. You just want them to be safe and okay and happy. You can tell that they aren’t, but you’re a bit confused as to why. And you are so torn between Lizzie’s love interests… but at the end her choice is so easy, so wonderful, and so satisfying. I love a good love story! 🙂
  • This is the first Christian romance about Mennonites that I’ve ever read. I’ve read a lot of Amish romance novels [ha! so lame!] and found similarities between the cultures, but also differences. It was an educational read in that sense [don’t worry, it’s not school :)].
  • Reading about Lizzie’s growth in faith and learning a right view of God as a loving Father was so encouraging. There are several women who really minister to Lizzie as she returns home, and it was awesome to read about that grace, forgiveness, mercy, and redemption.
  • Speaking of redemption, I don’t want to give any spoilers, but there is soooo much redemption taking place in this story, in Lizzie’s life, in her family. Absolutely love this! I know she isn’t real [gasp!], but it’s an amazing illustration of what God can do in people’s lives.
  • Overall, I thought this was a fun, interesting read. I love the dual romance/mystery nature of the book, and would definitely read more of Nancy Mehl‘s work, including the next book in the Road to Kingdom series [expected to be released spring 2013].

What are you reading lately?

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to Bethany House for the chance to read this great book! 

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce

Sarah

So, if you’re on Pinterest, you probably have the same problem as the rest of us: you pin about a kazillion things on all your boards but never actually do any of them. Sigh. In order to remedy this, Lisa at The Splattered Apron has started an every other week linkup called Pinteresting Recipes. This is my first time to participate, and I am so excited!!

I love Pinterest and the ability to find great blogs and new ideas, as well as the obviously ability to save and share things for later. However, I absolute hate the way some people discuss the popular pin in the name/comment section. “Some pinner says…” Then they usually talk about how this is the best or most wonderful thing ever. Ugh. Don’t know why, but that just bugs me. And it kinda makes me want to boycott all pins that have those words attached to them, since they’re somehow tainted. Tainted with what? Popularity? I’m weird. But for this post, I decided to suck it up and try one of those popular pins. Because they must be good if they’re so popular, right?

I chose White Chicken Enchiladas from Joyful Mama’s Kitchen.

Here’s a photo of the original:

The pin of this recipe that I then pinned was labeled as “According to many pinners-THE BEST white chicken enchilada recipe ever!! Easy too.” See? Pet peeve right there! But is it worth the hype?

Here’s how mine turned out.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce | The Pajama Chef

I must say, these White Chicken Enchiladas were pretty tasty and easy. The best? Well, I’m not sure I’d go quite that far, but they were delicious.

We loved how each bite of these enchiladas was full of flavor: tender shredded chicken and sharp cheddar cheese absolutely drenched in a luscious white sauce made with sour cream and sweet green chilies. The original recipe used all white cheese [Monterey Jack], but when I made these my grocery store was completely out, so I had to improvise. I’m sure they would be awesome either way–cheese is cheese, after all!

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce | The Pajama Chef

Will I make them again? Sure thing. They aren’t healthy or authentic Mexican food, but they do provide a good dose of cheesy comfort food. You can never have too many comfort food recipes. 🙂  So thanks to Pinterest for pointing me to this awesome new recipe and blog. On that note, I’ll close with a link to a post I recently read about Pinterest/blogging/internet etiquette. It’s a great read, so I hope you check it out. 🙂

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce [from Joyful Mama’s Kitchen]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 2 cups shredded cheese [Sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack]
  • 10 soft tortillas [I used wheat]
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 ounce can diced green chillies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, stir together chicken and half the cheese. Divide bewteen tortillas, roll up, and place in pan.

Next, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly pour in broth and whisk until smooth, then heat until sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chilies.

Pour sauce over enchiladas, then top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake enchiladas for 22 minutes, then broil for a minute or two until cheese becomes brown and bubbly.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 5 servings.

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Apple Peanut Butter Muffins

Sarah

A few weeks ago on a lovely Sunday afternoon, Ben and I took a trip to Anderson Orchard with some friends from church. We had a great time picking apples [Ben climbed the trees to get the best ones!], eating yummy apple cobbler from the concession stand, and just spending time with friends, of course.

Our apples were a mixture of Jonathan, Jonagold, Red Delicious [totally different off the tree than the boring, overly waxed hotel lobby variety], and possibly some others. We just wandered the row We just love apples… you can never have too many!

Except honeycrisp. I’m the weirdo who doesn’t like honeycrisp.

But back to the apple orchard… Aside from the peck of apples we picked [about 10 pounds], we also bought a half peck in the farm store that was pre-picked. So we came home with close to 15 pounds of apples… only some are shown below… this was when our bag wasn’t full yet.

Soon after getting home from the orchard, we made a big batch of crock pot chunky applesauce. I had big plans to bake and bake and bake lots of apple deliciousness. Then I got busy with my thesis, then I got a cold. Excuses, excuses. So I just ate tons of sliced apples with gobs of creamy natural peanut butter. Yum, yum. Then comes Friday night.

Being the exciting couple that we are, Ben and I went running after he came home from work then made some stellar black bean quesadillas for dinner. We cleaned the apartment, did laundry, carted a bunch of Goodwill donations to the car, and watched some Parenthood, Netflix style [I’m a season behind–no spoilers please!]. Then at 10:30 pm, I decided I needed to bake. NEEDED TO BAKE. It was like, a necessity. I wasn’t sure what to make, but it was too late to wait for butter to soften so muffins it was!

Ben retreated into his video game room [aka the guest bedroom] while I made a mess in the kitchen, eventually emerging with these amazing treats of joy. Yes, that’s their actual name. Well, it should be.

Apple Peanut Butter Muffins are a great spiced muffin–the perfect combination of warm fall spices [cinnamon! apple cider!] as well as a nod to the quintessential healthy snack combination [apples and peanut butter]. I cannot even begin to express my feelings about these muffins. I just cannot stop eating them and savoring each chunk of apple that dots the light and fluffy muffin.

Wait–light and fluffy, you say? To keep something peanut butter flavored light and fluffy, I had to reach deep into the pantry for a solution. In the past, I have found that adding straight-up peanut butter to muffin batter usually renders them a bit dense. So, I decided to use peanut butter chips instead. And let me just be so bold as to say that this was a fabulous decision! To mimic the peanut butter burst enjoyed when dipping an apple slice in peanut butter, I clustered the peanut butter chips in the center of the muffin. However, if you want to share the love, feel free to mix the chips into the batter. I’m sure that would be great too!

I thought the best way to enjoy these muffins was with a fresh dab of natural peanut butter on top, but Ben would completely disagree. He’s just weird though. 🙂 I say more is better. Enjoy!

Apple Peanut Butter Muffins [heavily adapted from an Apple Muffin recipe I wrote down from a friend/roommate/someone a long time ago and didn’t credit…sorry!]

click to print

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 cups apples [cored, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch cubes]
  • 3/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 egg
  • ~1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease well with cooking spray.

In a large bowl stir together flours, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients, then toss with diced apples.

Next, whisk together cider, oil, and egg. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in apples.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons batter into muffin liners, then top with 5 or 6 peanut butter chips. Fill the rest of the way with batter.

Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean [be careful not to land an apple instead!].

Time: 30 minutes [10 minutes active]

Yield: 12-14.

Menu Plans

Menu Plan

Sarah

Week of October 15

Monday: Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta [didn’t make last week]
Tuesday: Frittata
Wednesday: Lasagna
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: Italian Sausage and Red Rice
Saturday: out for pizzapizzapizza at one of the best pizza places in Bloomington [won a free pizza at our apartment complex’s fall festival today :)]
Sunday: tofu fried rice