Chicken Tortilla Soup

I was on a road trip with my daughter last weekend and after a couple of hours in the car, it became painfully obvious that we were both quickly approaching the "hangry" stage. 😬 We were anxious to get to our destination so we started discussing where we could get something to eat quickly.  She asked me what I wanted and instinctively, I answered, "I'll eat anything."  The words no sooner left my mouth when she snapped back, "No, you won't."  (This child calls me out on EVERYTHING!)  She was absolutely right, of course.  I rarely eat fast food and when I do, I have only a small list of fast foods that actually appeal to me.  I eat a burger about once every 5 years and I really don't like to eat fried foods so that limits my fast food choices. 

​My answer to her original question about where I wanted to eat should have been anywhere instead of anything.  I can find something to eat at almost any fast food restaurant.   I feel like there are more healthy choices at restaurants now than ever before.  There are some exceptions to my the I can eat anywhere rule but I'll just keep that list of offf-limits fast food restaurants to myself.  😉

​My actual response to her comeback was "I like chicken." 😅  (That was all my nutrient deprived brain could come up with at the moment.)  ​The truth is that I do eat a lot of chicken and my family likes to tease me about how often I eat grilled chicken for dinner.  It's my go-to healthy meal option when I'm at home AND when I'm on a road trip with my brutally honest daughter.  

​I think that only fast food item that I've ever craved is the tortilla soup from Chick Fil-A.  No, they did not sponsor this post - I just really, really love it.  If you've never tried it - you need to.  It's amazing.  My only issue with the Chick Fil A tortilla soup is that it is LOADED with sodium.  

So, if you're me and you start to crave Chick Fil A tortilla soup the minute that the temperatures drop and they start to advertise it, you google out how to make a lower sodium version for yourself at home.  What did we ever do before we could google any recipe that we ever wanted??  I found a copycat Chick Fil A tortilla soup recipe in my search and I was able to modify it to keep the sodium in check.  

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cans cannellini beans, do not drain
1 can no salt added black beans, undrained
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles 
1 can no salt added cream-style corn, undrained
1 can no salt added whole kernel corn, undrained
roasted or rotisserie chicken, bones removed, meat shredded
Juice of 1 lime
Tortilla strips or chips (for topping)

Heat oil in dutch oven.  Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent.

Stir in cumin, oregano and salt.

Puree 2 cans of cannellini beans in blender until smooth.  Add to pot.  

Stir in tomatoes, cream corn and whole corn.  

Stir in shredded chicken. 

Stir in remaining cannellini and black beans.   

Simmer 20-30 minutes.  

Add lime juice and top with tortilla strips.  

Serve with avocado.   This tortilla soup was deeeelicous!  And bonus - I made a giant batch of it so I have plenty leftover for all those days this winter when I'll be craving tortilla soup.  

​Ciao!

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