This simple slow cooker recipe for Crock-Pot Creamy Tortilla Soup is filled with chicken, black beans & corn. Then made creamy with masa harina & cheese.
Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
This simple slow cooker recipe is one I will be making over and over I am sure. The soup is perfect for a chilly day I think and was rather easy to come together.
The soup starts with some chicken broth (store bought or homemade) and then some diced onion, minced garlic and some simple spices such as cumin, salt, pepper and just a dash of cayenne. Then you toss in whole raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (or I suppose you could also use chicken thighs). Toss in some cooked black beans (canned or make them yourself), some frozen corn and let things simmer away for several hours.
Remove the chicken from the soup and let it cool just a few minutes and then shred or dice it (I decided to shred it) and add it back into the crockpot.
Next comes the magic…a slurry of masa harina and milk is whipped up and added to the soup as a thickener.
If you are unfamiliar with masa harina it is just a basic corn flour that is used in mostly Latin cooking to make delicious homemade corn tortillas, the dough for tamales, and other delicious and amazingly.wonderful.I.could.eat.Mexican.food.all.day dishes! 😉
You can usually find it in the International food aisle at most American grocery stores or you can purchase it online at stores such as Amazon, Walmart, or Peapod.
But like I said…this slurry of masa harina and milk is added to your soup and at the same time you are going to add some oh so delicious cheese. Give it a stir and let it cook about 30 minutes longer. As it cooks things are going to get nice and creamy as the cheese melts and the masa does it’s job.
Oh yeah…the masa…it adds a nice corny tortilla flavor to your soup.
Now it is time to get to eating…ladle your soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings. I opted to quick fry up a few corn tortillas that I cut into strips (you can also find packages of tortilla strips at the grocery store…they are usually located near the salad croutons – or you can use your favorite tortilla chips). I also added some extra cheddar cheese, some sliced avocado and some sliced green onions for freshness.
Other lovely topping ideas…chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, salsa…or whatever your heart desires.
And dig in!
Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts ((or thighs))
- 64 ounces Chicken Broth
- 16 ounces Frozen Corn
- 2 cups Canned Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
- 14.5 ounces Diced Tomatoes With Green Chilies ((with juice))
- 1 cup Onion ((chopped))
- 3 cloves Garlic ((finely minced))
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Salt & Pepper ((to taste))
- ⅓ cup Masa Harina
- 1 ⅓ cup Milk ((I used fat free))
- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese ((can also use Monterrey Jack cheese))
Instructions
- In a 6 quart or larger slow cooker add the chicken, broth, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and seasonings.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from crock-pot and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and shred with a fork or dice into bite sized pieces and add chicken back to soup.
- In a small bowl combine the milk and masa harina and stir with a fork until there are no lumps. Add this mixture to soup along with shredded cheese.
- Stir, cover and cook an additional 30 minutes to allow the masa and cheese to thicken and melt.
- Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
This looks fabulous! Will definitely try it out!