This recipe was inspired by a recipe my Mom and I saw on Great Day Houston as a creative way to use up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. We must have looked up the recipe online but I don’t have an original copy and I can’t find the recipe online, so I don’t have a link to give you. I have changed the recipe to my taste and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

I don’t know how that pasta got in the picture…Photobombed!

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 4 oz can  diced green chiles

1 10 oz can Rotel

1 can black beans

3/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp dried oregano

4-6 cups chicken broth

1-2 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces

Handful of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Tortilla chips or strips as a garnish

Saute onions, garlic, tomatoes in oil until the onion is almost translucent. If you want to add any fresh peppers you should add them at this point. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the green chiles, Rotel, spices, chicken broth, beans, and chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Finish the soup with the cilantro and lime juice. Serve with tortilla chips. I also like to get those tortilla strips from the salad section. With those strips, you won’t feel obligated to eat a whole bag of Tostitos! Plus, I’ve found they stay around the house longer because I’m not tempted to eat the whole bag. This last point is useful because I often freeze the soup to eat later.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings depending on how much stock you use. I typically portion out and freeze individual servings in plastic containers.

Some notes on the recipe:

This recipe would probably taste good with corn added: frozen, canned or fresh. Just add it when you add the stock.

I sometimes add a fresh jalepeno to the mix if I have one.

I often make this recipe with leftover rotisserie chicken. I usually only eat the breast meat and I am always looking for a clever way to use up the dark meat. However, I have made this soup with fresh chicken and it is just as good.  I would suggest getting 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts and sutting them up into bite-sized pieces. Add the raw chicken at the same time as directed for the cooked chicken in the recipe and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.