Chicken Enchilada Chili Soup

Okay folks. This is a copy cat recipe for Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili.

I didn't know if I should title this as a chili or a soup - Café Zupas calls it a chili but I serve it more like a soup...

I often make this soup in my 4.5 quart crock pot because during the week we are in and out and I really want everyone to have a hot meal. However, I LOVE to double the recipe and use my Rachael Ray 8 quart pot.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

2 lbs chicken breast (I use rotisserie chicken)

2 c red enchilada sauce

1 c green enchilada sauce

3 c cream of chicken soup *make your own for the best flavor

1 c heavy cream

2 c chicken stock**

1 10 oz can Rotel

2 c corn (I use frozen - but canned is fine)

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)

3 T chili powder

pinch of paprika

Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to your crock pot or soup pot. Because I use rotisserie chicken (I've also used canned chicken in the past) the soup just needs to come up to temperature and the ingredients need time to marry.

**I use the chicken stock to thin out the chili a bit so it's more of a soup

Tomato Basil Soup

I revamped my Tomato Basil Soup recipe - 

just in time for a rainy day that included coaching in the rain!

Tomato Basil Soup

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1 c all purpose flour

4 c chicken broth

4 c half & half*

24 oz marinara sauce

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes or 8 to 10 small vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1/2 c sundried tomatoes, pureed

1/2 c prepared pesto
1 T sugar (to balance the acid of the tomatoes)

Onion powder and garlic powder to taste

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture and create a roux. Wisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through and seasonings.

*I have used both full fat and fat free half & half - since it is used as a thickening agent, the taste is nearly the same using either.