Chicken Tortilla Chowder

I've been feeling bad because I haven't been cooking any of our dinners throughout the week. 

Beau works 12-hour days, comes home, and immediately starts cooking a [delicious] dinner.  I love him for this, but I don't want him to feel like he has to cook for me 24/7.  Then again, I know he loves cooking, so maybe I'll just let him carry on.

I am fine with always having dinner made for me, ya know...

Anyway, Beau had a tough day last Wednesday and didn't get home until late.  I didn't make anything for dinner because I had no idea what time he would be getting home.  So on Thursday, I decided I would surprise him - meal cooked, dishes done, table set - right when he walked in the door.  Since he has become quite the Iron Chef lately, I had to find something good. 

A couple of weeks ago, I stole a Taste of Home magazine from my parent's house.  I know stealing isn't right, but I had to.  My subscription ran out months ago.  And I mean, can you ever go wrong with that magazine?  I don't think so.  The main focus of this particular magazine is soup and being that the weather is getting a tiny bit cooler here in Georgia, I figured a warm, hearty soup would be a good choice.  If nothing else, maybe it would fool me into thinking its Fall-like outside rather than like the inside of a volcano 90% of the time.

We both love chicken tortilla/enchilada soup, so I settled on the Chicken Tortilla Chowder.  Mainly because the ingredient list isn't 2 miles long.  If you know me, you know I get really scared of a long ingredient list, especially in regular food, non-baked good recipes.  The soup was easy to prepare, didn't take long at all, and tasted wonderful.  It also calls for flour tortillas cut into strips that actually cook up like noodles.  Here's the recipe:

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups 2% milk
1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (11 oz.) Mexicorn, drained
1 pkg. (10 oz.) ready-to-serve roasted chicken breast strips, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
3 flour tortillas (8 in.), cut into 2-in. x 1/2-in. strips
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
Additional shredded cheddar cheese, optional
Tortilla chips for garnish, optional

In a large saucepan, heat the soups, milk, and broth, stirring frequently.  Add corn, chicken, and chilies; bring to a boil.  Stir in the tortilla strips.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.  Stir in the cheese until melted.  Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese and tortilla chips, if desired.

A few changes I made or would make: I used skim milk instead of 2% and I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I cooked myself and chopped up.  I really don't like the taste of the pre-cooked chicken in a bag.  If anything, I may use canned chicken next time.  Next time I probably would use less of the tortilla strips.  Or I may completely omit them.  They were okay in the soup, but there were too many, for my liking.  Not to mention, after reheating the next day they became a little gummy.  I would also add a little more spice.  Chopped jalapenos, a can of Rotel, more chilies, chopped habaneros...

But unless I plan on eating the entire pot myself, I can't add more spice because Beau doesn't do spicy.  At all.  He will whine and cry and I don't necessarily want to hear that.

Regardless, Beau loved the soup.  And loved the fact that dinner was all ready and waiting for him after work. 

Now maybe he'll feel bad about never baking for me.  I can only hope.  Pretty much because I just want to see Beau whipping up a batch of cookies or cupcakes all by himself.

-A