When I eat this soup, I think of enjoying it with my colleagues and nutrition students in Costa Rica on a cafeteria veranda surrounded by palm trees, eucalyptus and beautiful flowers. It was such a favorite dish that we always requested it for our last dinner there. In more northern climes, it is a warming comfort food for those dark, cold days of winter. In this recipe an additional can of white beans is creamed to double the nutritional power of legumes!
Nutrition information about white beans
Creamy White Bean Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup peanut oil
8 to 10 six-inch corn tortillas
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
1 pound chicken breasts (2 medium)
20 ounce can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided, saving 1/4 cup for garnish
32 ounces chicken broth (homemade if possible) — reserve 1/2 cup to blend with beans
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (one can blended smooth with 1/2 cup broth)
14 ounce can white corn, drained and rinsed
1 medium lime, juiced — more for wedges
Toppings: Tortilla strips, avocado slices, jalapeño slices, queso fresco
Instructions:
- Preheat a pot with peanut oil over medium-high heat. Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry them in small
batches until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Add more oil if needed to finish. Set aside. - Preheat a Dutch oven with olive oil over medium high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, jalapeño and
bell pepper. Sauté until vegetables soften. - Add cumin, chili powder, chicken breasts, crushed tomatoes, kosher salt, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and
chicken broth. Bring to a boil and set simmer for at least 25 minutes. - Remove chicken and shred it using two forks. Blend one can of beans with 1/2 cup chicken broth in a
blender or food processor until smooth. Add chicken back to the soup along with whole beans, blended
beans, corn and lime juice. Simmer another ten minutes or until thickened. - Serve with toppings.
Adapted from Conversa Language School, Santa Ana, Costa Rica
