Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is one of those recipes I make when I have leftover crockpot chicken and chicken juice. You could substitute storebought chicken stock, but that usually has seasonings added that don't really go with the southwestern flavor of the soup. 

It would work well in a crockpot but I usually just make it on the stove.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound dried black beans (or canned)
1 can diced tomatoes - I like Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 onion
1 poblano pepper (a green bell pepper would also work)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked chicken, in small bite-sized pieces
1-2 cups chicken juice (or chicken stock, or broth)
2 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed (it has a fresher, sweeter flavor than canned)
water as needed

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp Ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp oregano
(These are approximate measurements! Be sure to taste and adjust!)


Rinse the beans, then soak overnight or do a quick soak - bring up to a boil for 1 minute, then turn off heat, cover, and let sit for at least an hour. 
Then bring up to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and let cook for at least an hour.

While beans are cooking, dice the onion and sauté in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat. Cut open the pepper, making sure to remove all the seeds and cut away the white "ribs" before dicing the rest and adding to the onions. Mince the garlic and add that as well. Let cook several minutes until onions are translucent, then transfer vegetables to a large soup pot. Use some water to rinse the skillet and pour that into the pot as well.

Add chicken juice/stock, canned tomatoes, and spices, and another inch or so of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

When beans are soft, drain them and add to the soup pot. Let it simmer for at least an hour, then add the chicken and corn, and cook for at least another half hour. Check the seasonings; if you add more spices or water, let it simmer for a while longer.

Serve with corn chips, green onions and cheese! Try crumbling some corn chips into the soup. Like chili, this is something that will taste even better the next day, so make sure to leave some leftovers!