Thursday, June 30, 2022

Chicken Tortilla Soup - Slow Cooker




- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker
- and a Lupe Tortilla TWIN... 

:0)

If you're from Texas and know the significance of that "TWIN" statement: YOU'RE WELCOME!

I can tell you which of my friends only order the soup for dinner or the soup and salad lunch combo because of how wonderful their Chicken Tortilla Soup is at the local restaurant "Lupe Tortilla" - YES.  It's that good.  Here's my version, which I feel is a literal twin to their's.




Chicken Tortilla Soup 
 - Slow Cooker -

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded into large pieces

2 small/medium onions, chopped
1 bundle of garlic (6-8 cloves) minced
olive oil

6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cans, 7 oz., chopped green chilies
1 can unsalted corn, drained and rinsed
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons cumin
3-4 teaspoons chili powder (spicier with 4 teaspoons…) 
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 bay leaf

(OPTIONAL:)  And optional because I always order my soup WITHOUT the jalapeno slices... so if you want the Lupe Tortilla "twin" effect I suppose it is NOT optional:
1 jalapeno, carefully de-seeded and sliced into circles  

shredded Pepper Jack cheese
corn tortilla chips
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped



Start your slow cooker and add chicken broth, green chilies, rinsed and drained canned corn and black beans. (And jalapeno if you're going with the optional option...)

Add all the spices and shredded chicken to the slow cooker.

In a medium pan, saute chopped onions in olive oil until golden/dark brown and caramelized.

Add garlic to the caramelized chopped onions and cook until fragrant.

Add chopped onions and garlic to crockpot.

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours; or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Right before serving, wash and chop cilantro leaves; add to the soup.


SERVE  ON  THE  SIDE: 
sliced avocados
grated Pepper Jack Cheese
corn tortilla chips





Sunday, June 12, 2022

CHICKEN PITAS ( - Optional: Vegan // Roasted Veggie Pitas - )



CHICKEN PITAS 

Optional: 
- Vegan // Roasted Veggie Pitas -



 ...another family favorite brought into existence by the lovely Auntie Nicole. Thank goodness she's around to make Uncle Dan's life better - because it filters into our lives as well! (I guess that means I should be thanking Dan too!)

So - ALL Y'ALL in Oregon: THANK YOU!

This is requested often.  
And we prefer it with chicken. 
(Even though it's just as amazing without it...)


There's four recipes to bring this about; five if you're going to use the CHICKEN option.

#1 - Pitas with Natural Yeast Bread Dough
        NOTE: Start dough the night before.
#2 - Roasted Veggies
        NOTE: Start veggies first - everything else can be done                while they're roasting.
#3 - Tzatziki Sauce
#4 - Avocado Spread (Double for more than 3 people)
#5 - CHICKEN (optional)





#1 - Pitas with Natural Yeast Bread Dough

CLICK  LINK  FOR:    Baking with Natural Yeast - Pitas

1 prepped recipe of: Basic Loaf - Natural Yeast dough
grapeseed oil  OR  olive oil for cooking
cast iron skillet
plate
small bowl




#2 - Roasted Veggies
 
1  head of cauliflower, washed and cut into small florets
2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garam masala 
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Line a 9X13 pan with foil (OR bar pan with at least a 1 inch edge) 

Roast veggies at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes and gently stir.

Roast veggies for an ADDITIONAL 15-20 minutes.




#3 - Tzatziki Sauce

1/2  English cucumber; peeled, grated, pressed/squeezed
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (OR Veganeese)
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons dill; dried or fresh
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Combine all in a small or medium bowl and keep in the fridge until ready to use.




#4 - Avocado Spread (Double for more than 3 people)

2 ripe avocados, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 bundle of cilantro; washed, dried and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime

Combine all in a small or medium bowl and keep in the fridge until ready to use.




#5 - CHICKEN (optional)

2 pounds of chicken tenders
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
olive oil - for cooking

Combine all in a small or medium bowl and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.

Once the pitas are made in the cast iron skillet, cook 1/2 of the chicken until done.

Cook remaining portion.  

Keep covered with foil to maintain moisture.