It's winter so why not warm up with a spicy soup like Chicken Fiesta Soup?! I found this recipe in the Crock Pot Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection and decided to alter it slightly to meet my families needs. It turned out to be a delicious Mexican style meal that was not only healthy but versatile as well. The actual recipe called for only 4 breasts of chicken, but I opted for 6 considering my Crock Pot is large enough and Rich and I love a lot of chicken in our meals. Then the versatility falls in where you can top the soup with whatever feels right to you. The recipe called for crushed tostada shells and sharp cheddar cheese. But I opted for a lite Mexican blend of cheese from Trader Joes while Rich went with adding some freshly made Quinoa that I whipped up for him. And because ours was so filled with chicken, it'd be great to make Quesadillas or Enchiladas with!

We've got soup for days and have been eating it for lunch ever since I whipped it up earlier this week. I might be sad when it's all gone. Beware, this soup packs a bit of a kick, so if you like spicy, you're in luck!

p.s. You need a crock pot (slow cooker) for this recipe. If you don't have one you could probably make it stove top simmering for 4 hours or so.

Chicken Fiesta Soup

makes 10 servings - prep time: 15 minutes - cook time: 8 hrs

Ingredients:

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( I used 6 because I have a large crock pot and we like lots of chicken)
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 bottles (28 ounces) enchilada sauce (might find this in a can)
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or cumin)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper or chili powder
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot (slow cooker).
2. Nestle chicken in mixture so that they are covered in the liquid.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 HOURS.
4. Remove chicken and place in large bowl. With 2 forks shred the chicken. Put shredded chicken back in to soup and stir to combine well.
5. Serve with lite Mexican style shredded cheese and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes:

For more protein and complex carbs, top with Quinoa or brown rice.