Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup
By: Kait Nolan
Published: Sunday, December 6, 2009 - 10:51pm

Ingredients




10 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
3 inches chipotle peppers  adobo, finely minced (use fewer if you want to lower the heat)
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 package enchilada seasoning
1/2 cup rice
4 scallions, chopped
salt to taste

Preparation

1 This is one of those recipes that’s best to start in the morning.  Toss your chicken in (mine was frozen solid) and add enough water that it’s about 2 inches from the top of a 6 quart crock.  Cook on high for about 4 hours. 2 When you pop home for lunch, remove the chicken to a bowl and allow to cool. 3 Meanwhile carefully ladle the broth through a fine strainer to get the ooky bits out.  I have a big one that I set up over a 2 quart pitcher. 4 Cook’s note: If you HAVE precooked chicken (like one of those rotisserie numbers) and chicken broth, you can start at Step 4. 5 Pour the broth back into the crock and add the black beans, chicken, enchilada mix, chipotle peppers, cream of chicken soup, and tomatoes. 6 Once the chicken is cool, remove the skin and bones and chop the remaining meat. 7 Add the chicken back to the crock. 8 Then leave it cooking on high for the afternoon.  If you’ll be gone more than about 5 hours, I’d leave it on low. 9 When you get home, if your crock is not on high, turn up the heat and add the rice and scallions. 10 Cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the rice is done. 11 You could serve this with sour cream or cheese, but really, it’s totally great the way it is.  Just add salt to taste.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to have another bowl.

About


Three years ago one of our local restaurants had a soup they called baja chicken enchilada.  I got to have it maybe 3 times before it was permanently removed from the menu due to lack of interest.  I just have to say how much that totally SUCKED because this soup was awesome.  So I have been trying to duplicate it from memory ever since.  Nothing has been quite right and by now, I’m sure I barely remember what it tasted like.  But then I threw this together this morning for a last minute Thoughtless Thursday post (I know, I’m late, but I’ve been recovering from a 14 hour drive–for those who wondered, Oktoberfest in Omaha was a blast).  By Jove, I think I got it!  Or at least something I’m willing to accept as sufficiently awesome that I’ll keep the recipe. It’s not as fix it and forget it as a lot of crock pot recipes, but it’s well worth the effort.