It Ain't Food Network, But They Eat It....Tuesday!

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com last week and I used it as a base for a soup last night. There were things I didn't like about it, like beer, and how the chicken was cooked, so I changed it and this is what I came up with. It was really good. And you know how much I like a crock pot recipe! I used my 4 quart crock pot for this one and it was a perfect size.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
(I used corn that I froze from the garden. Nana Nana boo boo!)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
already cooked and shredded chicken
(I used 1 1/2 cups because that is what I had in the freezer from the last whole crock pot chicken)
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)
Directions
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken stock, already cooked chicken and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5-7 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

The verdict:
I used original Ro-Tel tomatoes and the spice was just right for me. The big boys added a blob of sour cream and it toned it down just right for them. Bryson looked at it and threw himself in the floor and screamed, "I don't like that!"

So, if you are afraid it will be too hot, use the mild Ro-Tel. And I think it comes in a hotter version if you are brave enough. I liked it just the way I made it. And I know that doesn't sound like much chicken, but I figured with 2 cans of beans we would have enough protein anyway so I wasn't that worried about it. So pretty much you can use whatever you have on hand. That makes this recipe even better doesn't it?

So now, for my Mexican eating friends (you know who you are!) this is a great recipe to make on nights when you have too much to do to cook dinner! The only prep I had to do was chop the onion and I got to thinking about all the onions that I let go bad at my house. So now I think I will chop some of the onions (because it is cheaper to buy the big bag) and freeze them in small quantities so next time I seriously will just dump it all in and go.

Enjoy!
Sara