Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm not a big "soup in the summer" kind of person, but this one I'll take! Chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite things to throw into a crock pot—it makes the house smell amazing after simmering all day, and there's nothing quite like coming home from work to dinner already done. I serve it with fresh fruit on the side... peaches in the summer!

The pic below is one I snapped just before my friends got to the house. Serving this was easy and fun.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 10-12

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 2, 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed

• 2 c. frozen corn

• 2 bell peppers, chopped

• 2 white onions, chopped

• 2, 15-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes

• 1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp. cumin

• 2 tbsp. chili powder

• 2 tsp. kosher salt

• 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 c. shredded Monterey jack

Suggest Toppings

Tortilla chip scoops, jalapeño, avocado, green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime

PREPARATION

Combine in a medium to large slow cooker: chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and chicken broth.

Cook on the low setting for 8 hours (I leave for work at 8am and arrive home at 4pm, but you can let this continue to cook another hour or two, if needed).

Shred the chicken with forks, then stir in the Monterey Jack cheese. Cover and cook another five minutes as cheese melts.

Enjoy 

Serve with your favorite toppings! I serve fresh fruit on the side—below is the fruit and veg boards I made for my friends.