CQ

I'm too wiped out today to go through my cookbooks and find the casserole I was thinking of posting. So I'm going to go ahead and post the soup recipe I already have typed out and saved on my computer.

This soup is REALLY easy and quick!!! Although, it seemed really weird to me at first to put the RAW chicken into the pot and not cook it first somehow, but I figured, that's what the recipe said, so I went ahead and tried it. Turned out PERFECT!!! I do suggest you make sure the chicken breasts are well trimmed. Any fat on it will make the soup really slimy, especially when re-heated for leftovers.

Also, I like to add a lot more chili powder than it says. I usually end up putting in a total of 5-10 tablespoons of chili powder. I've played around with this recipe a lot. It's really easy to make this one slightly different so it doesn't taste like the same old thing time after time.

Here's a list of things that I've added to it (not all at the same time, mind you!) and whether they have worked, in my family's opinion, or not:

• Pinto beans - YUCK! Never again in this soup in my house!
• Kidney beans - Actually, it was quite yummy!!!
• Potatoes (cut into bite sized pieces) - VERY YUMMY!!! We now put them in every time. This recipe should have been written with potatoes as one of the main ingredients! Just make sure to cook them before putting them in the soup, since the cook time in this recipe isn't long enough to get the potatoes cooked.
• Diced green chilies - Very tasty.
• Diced jalapenos - Good flavor, adds extra spice when wanted.
• Frito's instead of tortilla chips - I personally like the flavor of Frito's on this soup instead of plain tortilla chips.
• Bell peppers - I just don't think bell peppers taste right in this soup. Kinda grossed me out.

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Chicken Salsa Soup

2 (8 oz. ea) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite-size pieces
1 3/4 cups water
1 (14.5-oz.) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups loose-pack frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup ORTEGA Salsa - Thick & Chunky (Medium)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
3 cups tortilla chips (optional)

Combine chicken, water, broth and chili powder in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook for 8 minutes. Add corn. Uncover; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in salsa; heat through. Sprinkle cheese over each serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

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~Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...~

Linderbee

How zingy is this soup? Just as the recipe is...my family is chock-full of taste-bud wusses...and I mean REALLY wussy.

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dreamcastrocks--My Hero!!

CQ

If you make it as the recipe says, it's not very "zingy" at all. Flavorful, but it doesn't have a spicy kick at all. Let's just say, I used this soup to help train my lefse eating Norwegian brother-in-law to enjoy some spice in his food. I started off making it JUST like the recipe says. Then over the next 14 months that he was living with us, I slowly "kicked it up a notch" each time I made it. That boy thinks Taco Bell is spicy food, and he liked this soup.

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~Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...~

NEZCardsfan

What?? No Casserole.........

CQ

Sorry. I am so wiped out today from the Buffett concert last night that I just didn't have the energy to go through my recipes and pick one, and I'm not willing to post a recipe I haven't actually made. But I've since gone through my recipes, now that the kiddos are in bed, and I'll get it typed out tonight so I can post it tomorrow afternoon.

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~Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...~

NEZCardsfan

There was a Buffett concert I didn't know about??

I don't even have to ask how it was since I already know that he puts on an excellent show.

That's the only thing that sucks about my new car. I don't listen to local radio anymore on the way to work with XM.

I'm putting in Songs you know by Heart.......I'm gonna go spin up the Blender and have a Margarita, in mourning.

CQ

NEZ, go to www.margaritaville.com and sign up for the newsletters. You'll get an email before tickets go on sale.

And yes, you are correct, he puts on an excellent show!!!!!

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~Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...~

Linderbee

Taco Bell IS spicy!! I'll have to give this a try! Thanks for the recipes--so far they all sound awesome!

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dreamcastrocks--My Hero!!

NEZCardsfan

Cool, I'll check it out. I wonder if he is going to do a concert in Cabo or Mazatlan or something.

The next concert I'm scheduled for is Madonna.


EDIT: Aaargh....too late to go to that show in Nawlins. The Jazz Festival would be nice.