Inspire Fitness: It's About the Journey AND the Destination!: Clean Chicken Tortilla Soup

When I first started making chicken tortilla soup, I used a Pinterest recipe that called for leftover shredded taco chicken. It also called for packaged Ro-Tel canned tomatoes. As I began to eat cleaner I also began looking closely at labels and realized that not only were there unpronounceable ingredients but that I can VERY easily make a lot of these "conveniences" at home and from scratch.
taco seasoning and

The first pre packaged food to go was the taco seasoning. Then I got rid of the Ro-Tel. And voila! A cleaner version of my family's favorite soup was born!

Shredded Taco Chicken

2 lbs of frozen chicken breast
1 large jar of natural salsa ( I use Wild Harvest Organic Thick & Chunky Mild Salsa)
Homemade Taco Seasoning (see below)

Put all of the ingredients in your crock pot and simmer on low. As chicken cooks it will fall apart and is easily shredded when you stir it. Serve over lettuce for taco salad or with whole wheat burrito sized tortillas.

I use 2 lbs of chicken because we like to have plenty left to freeze for our Tortilla Soup. I simply put the leftover chicken (sauce and all) in a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag and pop in the freezer until I'm ready to make soup.

For the Soup-

Leftover frozen taco chicken
1 can of organic black beans
1 bag of frozen corn
1 can of organic roasted diced tomatoes (I LOVE Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes)
1/2 box of low salt organic vegetable or chicken stock. ( I prefer Pacific brand)
2-3 tablespoons of cilantro
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

I simply place all of these ingredients into my crock pot, simmer on low for about 2-3 hours so all of the flavors blend and I'm done!

Serve topped with whole wheat tortilla strips (I make these too from whole wheat tortillas, simply cut into strips and then baked in the oven until they're crispy) and shredded cheese and/or Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or chopped scallions.