Soup Ingredients

• Butter or Ghee: to keep this on the healthier side, you do not have to use butter. You may use avocado oil.
• Onion: use white sweet onions or cooking onions
• Veggies: Celery Stalks, Carrot, Red Bell Pepper,
• Beans: Red Kidney Beans and Black Beans
• Seasonings: Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Dried Oregano
• Garlic Cloves: do use fresh garlic
• One can of Diced fire-roasted Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Fresh or Frozen Sweet Corn: you may use canned corn if that’s all you have and you don’t want to make a trip to the grocery store.
• Shredded Cooked Chicken: make your own chicken or get a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. To prepare your own, check out our post on How to poach chicken breast.
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth– If you plan to poach your own chicken you may save the broth from that.
• Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend for garnishing, or you may also use Monterey jack cheese
• Salt and pepper, to your taste
• Optional: If you prefer to add some enchilada sauce, you can. We didn’t, but it certainly won’t hurt and will add some flavor to the soup.

Creamy Base

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed (for a rich, velvety texture)
• ½ cup heavy cream (or sour cream for a tangy twist)

Optional Add-Ins

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (adds protein and fiber)
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (for a deeper, smoky flavor)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you like extra heat)

Toppings & Garnishes

• Shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Diced avocado
• Tortilla strips (for crunch)
• Lime wedges (to brighten the flavors)
• A dollop of sour cream