Chicken Tortilla (Free) Soup: Healthy Tex-Mex

I often miss the Tex-Mex I enjoyed as a grad student in Texas. Since I am on a diet (and constantly seeking recipes that hit the trifecta of easy-healthy-yummy), I had to find a healthy option--my fellow queso lovers know just how heartbreaking that search can be!

A baker at heart, I normally cook recipes as is or tweak them slightly. This recipe, on the other hand, is really my own. The pico de gallo recipe comes courtesy of Cindy Haenel's Knife Skills cooking class at Central Market, and the soup is a fresher take on Allrecipes' Chicken Tortilla Soup V.

The tortilla chips are optional in the recipe, and the soup is excellent with or without them. Needless to say, cut the salt if you add the chips. 

Chicken Tortilla (Free) Soup with Homemade Pico De Gallo
Serves 3
Per serving (without tortilla chips):  247 calories, 37 g protein, 12.7 g carbs, 6.6 g fat

For the Pico De Gallo:
4 ripe tomatoes (in winter sub 8 heavy-for-size ripe Romas), cored and diced ¼”
1 cup finely diced onion (sweet yellow onion if possible)
1 or 2 large jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup lime juice (2-3 limes)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

1. Combine tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice in a non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel) and mix gently.

2. Add 1 teaspoon salt, mix and taste. If mixture is sour, add more salt till flavor is balanced.

3. Serve or store covered and chilled up to 2 days (best made fresh, however). 

For the soup:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can sub leftover cooked meat)
4 cups chicken stock (homemade = best)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin (or to taste)
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels (use fresh-picked corn if available)
4 cups tortilla chips (NOT fritos), crushed (optional)

1. Poach chicken breasts in chicken broth in medium-sized saucepan. Pull out breasts and set aside till cool enough to handle, and then shred by hand. Keep broth lidded in the meantime.

2. Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onion, then garlic and cumin, and sauté till tender. Add to broth.

3. Add corn and chicken to broth and bring to a boil (faster if lidded). Lower heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.


To Assemble:
In a deep soup bowl, place a generous amount of pico and 1 cup of the chips, if you're using them. Ladle a generous amount of soup on top.