(Because someone told me I couldn’t make it).
You GUYS! I don’t know if you can tell this about me, but I am a teeny bit feisty.
As a result, when someone tells me “There is no better soup than the chicken enchilada soup from Chilis”, I HAVE to prove them wrong.
It’s a super normal behavior and I won't apologize for it.
So, I did. I made a better soup. Suck it friend!
Here is what you need to prove my friend wrong:
-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (which was my nickname in high school).
-1 large bell pepper (red will be the most attractive so obviously we’re going with red), diced.
-1 large onion (also diced).
NOTE: if you are feeling super lazy you can use the bagged frozen peppers and onions that are already diced, and will save you from all of those pesky onion tears. This is 100% what I used, and it was about a cup of each.
-1 box of low sodium chicken broth (we like our personalities salty, not our soup).
-Water (an indeterminate amount. You’ll understand why later. Luckily for you, water is easy to come by in the kitchen so you can just calm right down).
-1 (10 oz.) can of red (because we’re on a red kick today) enchilada sauce.
-1 cup of milk (the kind from a cow)
NOTE: you can use any percent milk for this. I used skim milk because it’s what I had and if I did it then we know it’s awesome.
-¼ cup flour
-3 Tbsp. Butter (because butter).
-1 Tbsp. Olive oil (because who doesn’t want more fat).
-1 Tbsp. Minced garlic (the lazy kind, because I’m super tired while writing this and the thought of putting an effort into anything right now is SO draining).
-8 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese (if you want it to look like the kind from the restaurant, I would use the orange kind, but I don’t much care which you use. Cheese is cheese is cheese).
-1 can of black beans (drained like I am right now).
NOTE: This is optional, but I think it makes it better so do it!
-2 Tsp. Garlic powder (split, like my personality).
-2 Tsp. Cumin (see above snark).
-2 Tsp. Chili powder (again, see the above... man I’m lazy today)...
-Salt and pepper to taste (cheese is salty. Best to heed my warning).
OK now we cook:
Place the 3 chicken breasts in a pan (with a lid), with 1 tsp. Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Cumin, 1 tsp. Chili powder, 1 tsp. Salt, and 1 tsp. Pepper.
Add enough water to cover the chicken (SEE I can’t tell you how much water to add if I don’t know just how big your breasts are!).
Add some of the onion (about ¼ cup).
Add ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce (we will use the rest later so just relax over there!).
Simmer on low heat (covered, which is why we needed that fun pot lid I mentioned earlier), for 30 minutes.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the cooking liquid and shred, using two forks.
WARNING: DO NOT THROW AWAY THE COOKING LIQUID! We're gonna use it. That’s all kinds of flavor We are not ones to simply toss flavor down the drain! We are not bland members of society! I’m appalled at the mere idea!!!
Meanwhile...
In a large stock pot (or that super amazing Dutch oven you have), add in 3 tbsp. Butter, and 1 tbsp. Olive oil over medium heat.
Toss in (yes you MUST toss them because I used that word) the peppers and onions and sauté until soft and slightly translucent (like my pasty skin).
Add in ¼ cup flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan constantly (the very thought of which has me exhausted).
Slowly (trust me do this a little at a time because it’s a bitch if you don’t) pour in the 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly to avoid any clumps of flour (I could have just said lumps, but clumps of flour sounded so much less appealing and I wanted to drive the point home).
Once all the milk is incorporated and clump free, add in the 1 box of chicken broth, the chicken’s cooking liquid (that you didn’t waste), and the rest of the can of enchilada sauce.
Mix to combine (I mean obviously to combine, why the hell else would we mix?).
Add in the remaining 1 tsp. Garlic powder, 1 tsp. Cumin and 1 tsp. Chili powder and do that mixing thing again.
Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Once the broth is bubbling slightly (like a witch’s cauldron or whatever), add in your 8 oz. Of shredded cheddar cheese (that I forgot to tell you to shred, but like come on guys you had to know right?).
Once again give it a mixy-mix until all the cheese is melted (which may take a while if you threw in the whole brick and didn’t shred it, for which I am sure you will blame me).
Add in the shredded chicken and those optional black beans (1 can).
Simmer some more, for 10 to 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally (so that nothing sticks and ruins your fancy pan).
Taste, and add any necessary salt and pepper (which is what salt and pepper to taste means so I guess I didn’t have to say this really, but I did).
Serve with some tortilla chips or strips, or corn bread or whatever the hell you want really.
Top with sour cream because why wouldn't you.
Sit back and feel smug because our soup wins.
Comments