Overcome Your Gut + Digestive Issues With Ancestral Nutrition
Chicken and Veggie Tortilla Soup
This Chicken and Veggie Tortilla soup makes for a great summer or fall meal. It’s full of veggies, pinto beans, chicken thigh, and Mexican spices. Then topped with corn tortilla chips, avocado, cotija cheese, green onions, and cilantro; and served with salsa and more chips!
I’ve been making tortilla soup for about 4 years now. When I first started making it I was vegan so I didn’t put chicken or cheese in it and I used vegetable broth. Once I started eating meat and dairy again I wanted to try a new version of tortilla soup with baked chicken thigh in it. I really enjoy it both ways so I decided to give a meat eater and meatless option in this recipe. That way more people can enjoy it! Also before I ate meat, I used to add chicken just to my brothers portion so this recipe works great for families with different dietary preferences.
This recipe has a lot of space to make things from scratch. You can make your own broth (try my bone broth recipe or my vegetable broth recipe), you can cook your beans from dried beans, you can even make your own chips if you want. While this is all really fun, some of you may be thinking I don’t have time for that and that is perfectly fine as well. This can be a simpler meal that comes together in about 50 minutes if you choose not to go down the make it from scratch rabbit hole.
All in all I think this is a wonderful meal and I hope it brings joy to you and your family!
With love from my kitchen to yours,
Kayley
Chicken and Veggie Tortilla Soup
AuthorKayley O'BrienIf using dried beans, start by soaking the beans. (If using canned beans ignore this section and start at step 3) Soaking will help to reduce the cooking time. There are two main methods for this so pick which ever one works best for you. You can do the long soak or the quick soak. For the long soak, place beans in a large bowl and cover by a few inches with water. Let soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. For the short soak, place beans in a large pot, cover by a few inches with water, and bring water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for an hour.
After soaking, drain beans and place them in a large pot. Cover by a few inches of fresh water and bring to a covered boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer till done. This can take anywhere from 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours, sometimes even longer. Taste the beans periodically to see when they are done. They should be soft but slightly firm and taste good to you. Once done, drain and set aside for later.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare your chicken. Place your chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or the brown paper the butcher wraps the meat in. Season with 1 tsp oil, salt and pepper and rub into the meat. Cover chicken. I usually use a lasagna pan to cover it but you could use foil or another pan if you would like.
Bake for about 30- 40 minutes till the chicken gets an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Check after 30 minutes and cook longer if needed. If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can check to see when it's done by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken and prying open the cut. If there is any pink color, cook longer. If the pink color has disappeared, it's done. Once done, let sit for 10 minutes to allow the meat to reabsorb its juices. Then remove bones and skin and chop up into bite size chunks.
Meanwhile, prepare your soup. Heat 2 tsp of oil over medium high heat. Once hot add onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes stirring from time to time. Then add mushrooms and garlic. Let cook for a few more minutes. Then add chard, canned tomatoes, broth, dried chili, and spices. Stir well, increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium high and simmer covered for about 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and done. A few minutes before the soup is done add the beans and chicken so that they get heated thoroughly. Once the soup is done cooking, taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, chili powder, and/or oregano, if you feel that it needs it.
Then divide amongst 5 bowls. Top with crushed chips, cotija cheese (optional), avocado, and green onions and/or cilantro. Serve with more chips, salsa and avocado and enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
If using dried beans, start by soaking the beans. (If using canned beans ignore this section and start at step 3) Soaking will help to reduce the cooking time. There are two main methods for this so pick which ever one works best for you. You can do the long soak or the quick soak. For the long soak, place beans in a large bowl and cover by a few inches with water. Let soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. For the short soak, place beans in a large pot, cover by a few inches with water, and bring water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for an hour.
After soaking, drain beans and place them in a large pot. Cover by a few inches of fresh water and bring to a covered boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer till done. This can take anywhere from 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours, sometimes even longer. Taste the beans periodically to see when they are done. They should be soft but slightly firm and taste good to you. Once done, drain and set aside for later.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare your chicken. Place your chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or the brown paper the butcher wraps the meat in. Season with 1 tsp oil, salt and pepper and rub into the meat. Cover chicken. I usually use a lasagna pan to cover it but you could use foil or another pan if you would like.
Bake for about 30- 40 minutes till the chicken gets an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Check after 30 minutes and cook longer if needed. If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can check to see when it's done by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken and prying open the cut. If there is any pink color, cook longer. If the pink color has disappeared, it's done. Once done, let sit for 10 minutes to allow the meat to reabsorb its juices. Then remove bones and skin and chop up into bite size chunks.
Meanwhile, prepare your soup. Heat 2 tsp of oil over medium high heat. Once hot add onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes stirring from time to time. Then add mushrooms and garlic. Let cook for a few more minutes. Then add chard, canned tomatoes, broth, dried chili, and spices. Stir well, increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium high and simmer covered for about 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and done. A few minutes before the soup is done add the beans and chicken so that they get heated thoroughly. Once the soup is done cooking, taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, chili powder, and/or oregano, if you feel that it needs it.
Then divide amongst 5 bowls. Top with crushed chips, cotija cheese (optional), avocado, and green onions and/or cilantro. Serve with more chips, salsa and avocado and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition:
Chicken and Veggie Tortilla Soup:
| Ingredients | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 1 cup dried pinto beans | 670 | 2.4g | 121g | 41g |
| 1 onion (200g) | 78.8 | 0.2g | 18.9g | 2.2g |
| 2 1/2 carrots (170g) | 70 | 0.4g | 16.2g | 1.6g |
| 1/2 bell pepper (100g) | 20.2 | 0.2g | 4.7g | 0.9g |
| 3 criminal mushrooms (55g) | 12 | 0g | 2.3g | 1.4g |
| 1 bunch chard (213g) | 26 | 0.3g | 5.2g | 2.4g |
| 15 oz can tomatoes | 87.5 | 0g | 17.5g | 0g |
| 6 cups chicken broth | 60 | 0g | 6g | 6g |
| 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil | 65 | 7g | 0g | 0g |
| 1.33 lb raw boneless skinless chicken thigh | 798 | 42.6g | 0g | 106.4g |
| Total (serves 5) | 1,887.5 | 53.1g | 191.8g | 161.9g |
| 1 serving | 377.5 | 10.6g | 38.4g | 32.4g |
1 Serving Chicken and Veggie Tortilla Soup with Toppings and Sides:
| Ingredients | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 1 serving soup | 388.2 | 11.1g | 41g | 32.2g |
| 5 tsp cotija cheese (0.5 oz) | 45 | 3.5g | 0g | 3g |
| 1/3 avocado (50g) | 56.8 | 7.5g | 4g | 1g |
| 10 corn tortilla chips (30g) | 140 | 6.2g | 20g | 2.1g |
| 2 Tbsp salsa | 10 | 0g | 2g | 0g |
| Total (1 serving) | 640 | 28.3g | 67g | 38.3g |
Meatless Tortilla Soup:
| Ingredients | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| Soup (5 servings) | 1,941.5 | 55.7g | 204.8g | 160.9g |
| – chicken | -798 | -42.6g | -0g | -106.4g |
| + 1 can of beans | 362 | 2.5g | 67 | 20 |
| Total (serves 5) | 1,505.5 | 15.6g | 271.8g | 74.5g |
| 1 serving | 301.1 | 3.1g | 54.4g | 14.9g |
1 Serving Meatless Tortilla Soup with Toppings and Sides:
| Ingredients | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 1 serving soup | 301.1 | 3.1g | 54.4g | 14.9g |
| 1/3 avocado (50g) | 56.8 | 7.5g | 4g | 1g |
| 10 corn tortilla chips (30g) | 140 | 6.2g | 20g | 2.1g |
| 2 Tbsp salsa | 10 | 0g | 2g | 0g |
| Vegan Soup Total (1 serving) | 507.9 | 16.8g | 80.4g | 18g |
| + 5 tsp cotija cheese (0.5 oz) |
45
|
3.5g
|
0g
|
3g
|
| Vegetarian Soup Total (1 serving) | 552.9 | 20.3g | 80.4g | 21g |
Notes:
- Nutrition is based on the products I use. I provide a nutrition table so that you can quickly check to see if your food products match or so that you can easily calculate the nutrition for any changes you want to make to the recipe. I think this helps if you have very specific diet goals and/or fitness and/or health goals. I also wanted you to be able to see exactly where I get the numbers for my nutrition facts so that you can see that they are reliable and learn more about macro breakdowns of food.
- For this recipe the broth and chips can vary quite a bit. Especially if you use bone broth, which is highly nutritious but contains more calories and protein. If you choose to use dry beans instead of canned this will slightly lessen the calories in the soup.
- Also I only calculated half of the oil used because a lot of it sticks to the pan so you only end up consuming about half of it.
Works Cited
1. Adam, “How to Cook Dried Chickpeas (Ultimate Guide).” Inspired Taste. 22 April 2019. https://www.inspiredtaste.net/26952/how-to-cook-dried-chickpeas/
2. Nutritionix. Gladson. https://www.nutritionix.com/ Accessed 21 January 2019.
3. Nutrtition Label of “Avocado Oil.” Primal Kitchen. Oxnard, CA, 2019
4. Nutrtition Label of “Cotija Cheese.” Cacique. CA, 2019
About Kayley
Kayley is a certified gut health nutrition coach who helps people to overcome their chronic gut and digestive issues at the root using the principles of ancestral nutrition and holistic health. (Continue Reading Here)
