Ever had the craving for a delicious bowl of chicken tortilla soup, all the while hankering for chicken noodle soup? well, we did. Instead of flipping a coin to decide what to have for dinner, we thought why not combine our two cravings.  Makes perfect sense right? We think so.  So taking the best these two classic soups have to offer, we’ve created a delicious and easy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe (with a twist) that is sure to fit perfectly this season.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 large tomato
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 jalapenos (with seeds)
• 2 chicken breast (skinless and boneless)
• 1 can of low sodium diced carrots
• 1 cup of whole wheat elbow macaroni noodles
• 6 cups of water or low-sodium chicken broth **
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1-2 tbsp of cumin
• 2 tbsp italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp season salt
• 3-4 corn tortillas
• cilantro for garnish
• 1-2 lemon or lime juiced, plus wedges for garnish
• avocado (optional)

(**) Note: If using low-sodium chicken broth, spices in the recipe can be modified accordingly.

HOW TO

Step 1: In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat. Next toss in the onion, garlic and jalapenos. Cook until the onions become soft (almost translucent). Stir occasionally.

Step 2: Pour in the water or chicken broth, tomatoes, carrots and spices into the pot and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat and add your chicken breasts.  Let it simmer for  20 to 25 minutes with the lid on. Add the noodles 5-8 minutes before the soup is ready so to avoid it getting too soft. Once the soup is ready, turn off the heat. When ready to serve, add the lemon or lime juice and stir it in the soup.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450. Take your tortillas and cut them in strips. Drizzle a dash of olive oil on them to get them golden brown. Put them in a nonstick cookie sheet and let them crisp for 5-6 mins. Keep an eye on them because they will burn if left alone. Once they’re all nice and golden, take them out of the oven. 

Step 4: Garnish the soup with a few healthy spring of cilantro, lemon wedges and a few of the tortilla strips we made. For a little more richness, add a few slices of avocado too. 

Step 5: Enjoy!

For more dinner ideas, check out our Quick and Easy Noodle Soup Recipe