This week in Jason’s recipe, he’s throwing the whole enchilada at one last soup

It’s time to put away the comfort foods as spring arrives and get to lighter fare. No one wants a gutful of chili while pushing a lawnmower in the heat and humidity that is poised to be unleashed on us soon. Soups and stews go the way of winter coats, electric blankets, and actually enjoying the heat from whatever pet you have that insists on sleeping on your head.

But…I like soup, I hear some of you protesting. And it’s silly to not eat something just because it traditionally is only enjoyed in certain seasons. I see you, and I agree. We all enjoy Mexican food year round, and there’s no reason why that can’t be in soup form.

We can cram all sorts of nutritious veggies and protein into a soup, while leaving out the heavy flour tortillas that turn to lead once ingested in the Arkansas heat. So why not throw the whole enchilada into a Mexican Chicken soup, and keep those slow cookers humming along contently out in the fresh air of your kitchen counters?

As always, how healthy this soup is depends on you and what you source for it. Be sure to use pasture raised free birds (try not having that song stuck in your head now – I dare you), fresh veggies, and grass-fed dairy to up the nutritional profile.

Also, if you use store bought enchilada sauce, choose your weapons carefully and read the ingredients. Not all are created equal, and most are full of things you do not want to add. We all need to be at full strength for the non-stop season of mowing that looms over us all. I’m already looking forward to November.

Chicken Enchilada Mexican Soup:
Ingredients:
4 pasture raised chicken breasts
1 red onion, yellow and red bell pepper, poblano pepper
2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 jar green and red enchilada sauce (or make your own)
4 ounces grass fed cream cheese
1/2 cup grass fed half and half
4 ounces grass fed pepper jack cheese
1 carton low sodium chicken stock
1/2 tsp sea salt,pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
black bean chips, avocado, cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
Dice all the veggies, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, stir, and roast for 10 more minutes:

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with spices, except the cumin and chili powder. Cook through in a skillet until browned and reaches a temp of 170 degrees.

Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and enchilada sauce into a large stock pot with the cumin and chili powder, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cooked chicken and the roasted veggies. Melt the cream cheese in the pan used to cook the chicken:

Add the melted cream cheese to the pot, along with the half and half and pepper jack cheese. Stir to combine, then serve with toppings of your choice: