Chicken Taco Soup

It's the perfect time of year for a bowl of soup and this one is great because it's made with chicken, so it's healthier than the recipes made with beef, but it's still very hearty and filling. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe - she made a huge pot of it for us over Thanksgiving weekend and we all thought it was great! You add egg noodles to it as well, which makes it a little different than the other taco soups that you might normally have. You could throw everything together and put it in your crock pot, too, if you have a busy day planned and need dinner ready when you walk in the door. Or, cook it for a couple hours on your stove top - either way would work just fine.

Chicken Taco Soup

5-6 cans chicken broth (14 oz. size)
3 chicken bouillon cubes
5-6 Cups cooked chicken (you can cook your own chicken or use the packaged pre-cooked kind, or even get a rotisserie chicken and shred up the meat)
2 cans chili beans
1-2 packages taco seasoning (depending on taste)
1 can green chillies
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 package egg noodles

Add all ingredients to pot (or crock pot) except noodles. Heat through and then turn to low. Add noodles to pot and cook on low 30 minutes before serving or until done. (If you are doing this in a crock pot, add noodles the last hour of cooking time.)

Serve with Fritos and top with cheese and sour cream.

Here's the kind of chili beans you need (flavored - mild or hot, depending on how spicy you want this)

City Chicken

The name of this one can fool you - it's called City Chicken, but it's not chicken at all. This recipe is made with a pork tenderloin and it's really good. My mom gave me this recipe a while back and I made it last night and knew I needed to post it after my whole family ate every last bite! It's very easy to put together and is perfect served over mashed potatoes. Since Mike and I are trying to eat healthier than our norm, I served the girls mashed potatoes and served ours over brown rice. Great both ways - so whichever you like better is just fine. Enjoy!

City Chicken

2 lbs. boneless pork loin, cut into cubes
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 Pkg. Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 Can (14 oz.) Chicken Broth (I used low sodium/fat free)
1 Cup Water

Combine flour, garlic salt and pepper on a plate and roll pork loin cubes in mixture until coated. In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Brown pork, turning frequently. Drain off excess oil/juices. Sprinkle with soup mix and add broth and water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. If desired, thicken pan juices with corn starch. Serve over hot mashed potatoes or rice. 4 Servings.

Browning away in the skillet

Simmering in sauce

The girls plate - with yummy mashed potatoes and green beans