Circle B Kitchen
This is a tasty, easy soup to throw together with leftover chicken or turkey and is a great dish to serve a crowd. Adjust the heat levels to your preference by adding more or less cayenne pepper. I like to top this with tortilla strips that I’ve cut from corn tortillas and fried until crispy. But crushed store-bought tortilla chips work great too. Masa harina is a corn flour that is readily found in most grocery stores today. Quaker and Maseca are two familiar brands. The masa harina thickens the soup and adds that "enchilada" flavor that's so great. If you can't get your hands on masa harina, you can chop up or run about a dozen corn tortillas through your food processor and add them instead. They will "melt" into the soup and thicken it just fine. If the soup seems too thick for you, add enough water, enchilada sauce or chicken broth to create the consistency you desire. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 quart turkey or chicken broth
1 cup masa harina
2 cups water (or chicken broth)
1 ¼ cups (10 oz) enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or to taste)
For serving:
Extra grated cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Tortilla chips or strips
DIRECTIONS:
Cook onion and garlic in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the chili powder, cumin and cayenne and sauté until fragrant. Stir in the chicken broth.
In a bowl, slowly whisk the masa harina into the 2 cups water until well blended. Pour into the pot with the enchilada sauce and salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until thickened. Add the shredded chicken and the cheddar cheese and stir to mix well. Heat through and taste for seasonings. Add additional water or chicken broth if the soup seems too thick.
To serve, top with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, grated cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro.