Less salt chicken tortilla soup
Although my heritage is British and German, I love tortilla soup. Unfortunately, I can’t order it in a restaurant because it contains too much salt. Excess salt causes my ankles to swell, which is uncomfortable and dangerous for someone like me who takes blood pressure medication. Can I make tortilla soup at home?
I decided to give it a try, looked through my cookbooks, and came across several recipes. Then came an internet search and found dozens more. The local newspaper also published a recipe. After reading enough recipes to make my eyes cross, I combined several recipes and added my own twist.
Tortilla soup is popular in many states. Barbara Hansen describes the two California versions in her Los Angeles Times article, “a bowl of Mexican stew.” Started in Mexico City, the classic soup is chicken broth mixed with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, chilies, and sliced tortillas. In California, soup often has a tomato base thickened with crushed tortilla chips or bean soup with fried tortillas.
She wrote, “Tortilla soup can be a revelation, rich in interesting roasted corn flavor, vibrant in color and with a warm, sultry aroma.” No one seems to know the origin of the soup, although some speculate that it came from leftovers.
I wanted a quick version of this Mexican favourite, something with lots of flavor and a pinch of salt. My pantry contained most of the ingredients I needed, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, a can of chopped chili peppers, and a can of salt-free chicken broth. The original recipes always contained cilantro, which is something I don’t like, so I left it out. If you like cilantro, add it to your soup.
Much to my surprise, I found no-salt taco chips in the Mexican section of my grocery store. You can use salted potato chips if you’d like. The preparation time for my recipe is 10 minutes at most. I simmered the soup for 20 minutes, but you can simmer it for longer, or transfer it to a slow cooker. My husband and I had soup for lunch, but it could easily become dinner with the addition of a salad and pie for dessert.
ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
14 oz package of chicken tenders
1 medium onion finely chopped
14.5 ounce can of roasted tomatoes
32 ounce carton of salt-free chicken broth
4-ounce can of green chili peppers
1 cup of frozen corn
Garlic powder to taste
1 teaspoon of sodium taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon reduced sodium salt (can be omitted)
Salt-free tortilla chips
Grated cheddar cheese made from 2% milk
road
Cut the chicken tender into small pieces. Coat the bottom of a soup kettle or large saucepan with olive oil. Add the chicken and sauté over medium heat until al dente. Add the chopped onion and cook for 1 minute. Except for the tortilla chips, add all of the other ingredients. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Pour into bowls and top with crushed Mexican chips. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, and cilantro if desired. Makes six generous servings.
