I have been lacking when it comes to posting recipes because the free time that I had to put towards the blog was used for the new Culinary Medicine section. If you haven’t checked it out already and are interested in learning about the science behind making healthy food delicious, check it out!

Although the recipe posts have been sparse, there has not been a lack of cooking during my first year of residency. Because the majority of my day is spent at the hospital, I have been working on creating and finding recipes that are quick to make and utilize tools like the slow cooker or pressure cooker. One that I have been dying to share is this soup, which uses the leftover juices from The King’s Chili Chicken Tacos recipe. Every time I made the chili chicken taco recipe, I was left with all of these delicious juices from the salsa, chipotle peppers, garlic, and chicken thighs. I always felt like it was such a waste to throw it away. So, I figured I would try to find a way to use it in a tortilla soup, which would impart some of the flavors of the original recipe by using the juices as a base for the soup. Now whenever I make the chili chicken tacos, I strain the juices and save them in a jar, which can be stored in the fridge if it will be used soon, or the freezer for later use. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have!

Chili Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe reminds me of the chicken tortilla soup that used to be sold at one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, The Original Taco House, which unfortunately went out of business. The leftover juices from The King’s Chili Chicken Taco recipe impart a delicious and smoky base, making this an easy dish because it already is seasoned and flavored. After drizzling some of the juice over the chili chicken taco meat, you should end up with about 3-4 cups of juice to store and use in this recipe. I use a pressure cooker to make this recipe, but it can also be easily made in a large Dutch oven on the stovetop. Garnish this with some queso fresco, avocado, and some crispy tortilla strips. A fresh squeeze of lime juice will add some brightness to this dish.

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/4″ half moons
• 3-4 stalks celery, halved and sliced into 1/4″ slices
• 8 small sweet peppers, sliced into 1/4″ slices or 1 large sweet bell pepper, diced small
• 2-4 jalapenos, minced; remove seeds and ribs for less heat
• Juices from The King’s Chili Chicken Taco recipe, strained, about 3-4 cups
• 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 14-oz can black beans, undrained
• 14-oz can pinto beans, undrained
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, quartered or 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3-4 cups water
• 3/4 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• Optional toppings: lime wedges, queso fresco, avocado, tortilla strips (see recipe below), cilantro

Add canola oil to the pressure cooker or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté onions and garlic until translucent and beginning to get a small amount of caramelization. Add the carrots, celery, sweet bell pepper, and jalapenos and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the leftover juices from The King’s Chili Chicken Taco recipe, canned beans and tomatoes with their juices, water, and the chicken breasts, thighs or combination of them. If using a pressure cooker, close it and cook on the pressure cooker’s soup setting (around 12 PSI for 20 minutes). If cooking on the stovetop, simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables have softened. Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, and add chicken back to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste, though as mentioned above you may not need any salt as taco juice has already been seasoned. Add the fresh cilantro and stir. Serve with a lime wedge, queso fresco, avocado, and tortilla strips.

Mediterranean Diet Note: What makes this good for the Mediterranean diet is that each serving has a small amount of meat, but also is high in vegetables with the carrots, celery, onions, and peppers. Whether you’re using breasts or thighs, ensure that your meat is boneless, skinless, and trimmed of fat. The black and pinto beans add some legumes to your diet, increasing some plant-based protein and complementing the whole grains from the corn tortillas. If you want to avoid the baked tortilla strips, you can substitute these for a drained can of corn, which will still provide you with a whole grain. Cooking with canola oil and topping with avocado ensures that the fats in this dish are healthier. The garnish of cheese should not put you over your daily limit of dairy, just don’t overdo it, and if you’ve already had your limit for the day it can always be omitted.

Oven-Baked Tortilla Strips

For the above soup recipe, these strips can be made quickly and stored in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag.

• 1-2 tablespoons canola oil
• 8 corn tortillas, halved and cut into 1/4″ slices
• Salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Scatter strips across a baking sheet, lightly drizzle canola oil over the strips and gently toss the strips. Ensure strips are spread out evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, checking and stirring every 10 minutes to ensure that strips do not burn. I would advise watching these closely the first time you make them so as to avoid burning them. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle immediately with a pinch of salt.