It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And no, I don’t mean the holidays (they’re fine). I mean DUTCH OVEN season.
My enameled cast iron dutch oven is one of my most prized kitchen items, especially in the cold months. My reasons:
It lasts *forever.* I got mine five or six years ago and even though it looks worn in, it still functions just as well as the day I got it. And I use it A LOT.
It’s naturally non-stick, but still gets an incredible sear because of the heavy bottom.
It’s multi-purpose. I use it for soups, stews, braised meats, pastas, literally whatever. It also bakes bread beautifully.
There is nothing on this earth more convenient than a one-pot meal, and dutch ovens are one-pot meal royalty.
Nothing says “cozy” more than standing over a heavy pot, cooking up something piping hot and nourishing while your kitchen smells like heaven. Some of my favorite, most lasting food memories have been created around my dutch oven, or dutch ovens in general.
If you don’t have a dutch oven yet, I HIGHLY recommend you invest now or tell Santa (or whatever you call your aunt) to put it on your gift list, because it will be the real MVP when you’re staying at home this winter. I use a Lodge brand 6 qt., which at less than $100 (sometimes less than $75!) is an incredibly good value for its durability.
I digress. The moral of this very long introduction is… Get your hands on a dutch oven, and then make this soup.
This recipe is a (heavy) adaptation of one of my favorite soups – tortilla soup. I frequently make or order tortilla soup when the weather turns colder, because it’s comforting, filling, and satisfying. A traditional tortilla soup is made with a roasted tomato and chili broth and then topped with homemade tortilla strips. This recipe came about because recently, tomatoes and I have been in an on-again/off-again relationship. Sadly, I’ve been struggling with a sensitive tummy, and had to cut out tomatoes and tomato sauce for a while. I’ve been reintroducing them slowly, but am still trying to be judicious about my intake.
I don’t know what I did to the gods for my stomach to turn on me in this way – because tomatoes are my favorite! Was I too gluttonous with tomatoes in August? Was it that thing I said about canned tomatoes with basil? (Hot take? Basil-less is SO much better) – the jury is still out.
Anyhoo. Long story short, I was craving tortilla soup, but wanted to quell my craving without tomatoes.
In this soup, there is a little bit of heat from jalapeños and a dash of chili powder, a slight acidity from fresh lime juice, and coconut milk to balance it out while contributing good, filling fats. On top, avocado brings additional creaminess, with fresh cilantro adding a nice punch. Crumbled blue corn chips take the place of homemade tortilla strips for ease (although, homemade are quite easy to make as well). As they sit in the soup, the chips soak up the flavor (and add their own!) but never quite lose their crunch. *chef’s kiss*
The Peppers
If you are sensitive to heat, feel free to use half of a jalapeño or omit it altogether and just use the green bell pepper.
The Broth/Chicken
One of the reasons I LOVE this recipe is because the broth makes itself! This method of making chicken soup is not only easy and flavorful, it’s cheaper, since you don’t have to buy your chicken and broth separately. For one pot chicken soups like this, I prefer to use bone-in chicken thighs for maximum flavor. You can buy them boneless and/or skinless, but this may reduce the flavor. Bones and skin will create a richer broth, and you can always skim the fat off at the end to your liking.
Make it Meatless
This recipe is easily adaptable! To make it vegan, start by omitting the chicken and use a plant based broth instead of water. I highly recommend this No-Chicken Broth by Imagine Foods, which has a richer and more convincing flavor than many store-bought vegetable broths. You can also mix some “no chicken” bouillon with water. I also recommend adding canned white or black beans or some shredded, sauteed jackfruit at the end.
A creamy (dairy-free) tortilla style chicken soup that comes together in one pot and creates its own broth!
Ingredients
Scale
SOUP:
1 tsp. coconut oil
2medium yellow onions, diced
1green bell pepper, diced
1jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired and diced
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, patted dry
6 cupswater
1 can full-fat coconut milk
2–3limes (1 juiced + 1–2 sliced into wedges for serving)
TOPPING:
Blue corn tortilla chips, crumbled (I like Garden of Eatin brand)
Diced avocado
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Instructions
In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat 1 tsp. coconut oil over medium heat.
Add your 2 diced yellow onions, 1 diced green bell pepper, and 1 diced jalapeño, and sauté. Stir frequently until soft, about 5-10 minutes.
Combine your 1 tsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. paprika, and 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric to the vegetables. Stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium high. Make wells in the veggies, and add your chicken thighs skin side down to the pot, ensuring that each piece is making even, direct contact with the pot. Sear for 5-7 minutes or until the skin is browned.
Cover the chicken with 6 cups water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, turn the heat off and remove the chicken thighs from the pot. Discard the skin and bones and chop or shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot.
Skim the fat off of the broth if desired. Add the 1 can of coconut milk and the juice of 1 lime. Taste and add extra salt if necessary.
Serve topped with crumbled blue tortilla chips, cilantro, limes wedges, and avocado.
Notes
To make this recipe vegan, omit the chicken, substitute plant-based broth for water or add a “no-chicken” bouillon to the water before adding, and add beans or sauteed jackfruit at the end.
This recipe is moderately spicy. For less heat, remove the seeds from the jalapeños or reduce the chili powder.
Keywords: one pot, chicken, chicken soup, creamy chicken soup, tortilla-style soup, one pot chicken soup
