Southwestern Chicken Barley Bean Soup and Cheesy Sour-Creamy Tortillas

from my home to yours—Anita Peacock

—see nutrition analysis at end

BRRR!  It’s been c-c-c-cold  lately and I do mean COLD—even here in South Georgia!  We’re delicate peaches—we don’t know how to handle this kind of cold weather.  It chafes our delicate skin!  The weather the last couple of weeks made me want to snuggle up with my Hugh-Baby and chow down on some warm, nurturing homemade soup.

This started out as a “whatever I had on hand” soup that morphed into a Southwestern chicken stew with the addition of two of my favorite flavors (cumin and cilantro), some lime juice and green chilies.  Oh, and in case you didn’t notice, there are a few other seasonings that I think kick up the flavor nicely, although I’m not sure how Southwestern they are.  Everything I do is “inspired” rather than “authentic”.  I just throw in what I think tastes good, what makes it a healthful dish and then  I try to remember what I’ve done the next time I make it.  So, please don’t judge me too harshly.

Now, about my fondness for cumin and cilantro:  This was a late-blooming love affair.  I didn’t know either of these parsley-ish fellers (at least by name) until about ten years ago.  Of course, I’d had both in dishes at Mexican and Mediterranean restaurants.  But, I didn’t know what they were—I just knew I liked ‘em.  It was love at first savor—or knowledge—or whatever you will.  It was GOOD!

So, I hope you enjoy this multicultural melding of flavors.  And, feel free to add your own twist on the recipe.  Email me or post your changes on my business page wall.  I love to spice things up and am always open to new suggestions!

Southwestern Chicken Barley Bean Soup

Soup Prep Time:  10 minutes

Soup Start to Finish:  1 hour, 30 minutes

SOUP INGREDIENTS:

Ingredient Abbreviation Key:  FF = Fat-Free, LS = Low-Sodium, NSA = No Salt Added, OG = Organic

1-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-cup chopped sweet onion

2-tablespoons chopped garlic

2-teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste

1/4-teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or ground cayenne), to taste (optional)

1/4-teaspoon dried oregano

1-teaspoon paprika

1/4-teaspoon ground cloves (or coriander), to taste (optional)

1-teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste

6 1/2-cups Pacific Natural Foods FF LS OG Chicken Broth (or homemade)

1/4-cup lime juice

1/2-teaspoon sea salt (OMIT if you are unable to substitute low-sodium ingredients)

1/2-cup pearl barley

1/2-cup frozen corn kernels

1-cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste

2-15-ounce cans Eden Foods FF NSA OG Garbanzo Beans (or 4 cups home-prepared)

2-14.5-ounce cans Eden Foods FF NSA OG Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (or 4 cups home-prepared)

SOUP PREPARATION:

1)       Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  (I have a big red 8-quart non-stick stock pot that I love!)

2)       Add diced raw chicken breast (if you don’t have any leftover cooked chicken) and cook 3-5 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Transfer browned chicken to a separate bowl and set aside.  (Note:  if you are using leftover cooked chicken for this soup, skip this step.  And you won’t add the cooked chicken until later.)

3)       Reduce burner to medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, ground cloves and black pepper to the pot.  Saute 4-5 minutes, stirring often (so herbs and spices won’t scorch), until onions are lightly browned.

4)       Add broth, lime juice, sea salt, barley, corn and cilantro to the stock pot.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.  Simmer 50 minutes.

5)       Stir in cooked chicken, chickpeas and tomatoes.  Cover and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes

This is an excellent soup to warm up a chilly (or downright frigid) evening.   And, this recipe yields 3+ quarts, or 12 servings, approximately 1 cup each.  It reheats very well; so, freeze leftovers or refrigerate up to 4 days and have an easy reheat for a busy work night meal.   (I cook like my mama did—at least as it relates to quantity.  So, my intentions may be to make a small pot of something; but, it winds up being a VAT!  The freezer is your friend.)  Serve with Cheesy Sour-Creamy Tortillas (recipe follows).

Cheesy Sour-Creamy Tortillas

These are nummy-nummy!  Only prepare enough tortillas for your current meal—1 tortilla per person.  The prepared tortillas DO NOT reheat well.  They’re so easy to do and you just can’t beat that freshly-toasted crunch!   Increasing the number of tortillas will not affect the baking time.

Tortilla Prep Time:  1 minute

Tortilla Start to Finish:  15minutes  (bake during last step of soup preparation)

TORTILLA INGREDIENTS (per serving/tortilla):

1-(6-inch) corn (or flour) tortilla per person

2-tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese per person/tortilla

1-tablespoon light sour cream per person/tortilla

TORTILLA PREPARATION:

1)       Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spread tortillas out on a baking/cookie sheet.  Sprinkle cheese evely on each tortilla.  Bake 8-10 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your tortillas.  The longer the baking time, the crisper the tortilla.  (I like ‘em CRISP!)

2)       Allow to cool 2-3 minutes.  Spread 1 tablespoon light sour cream on each tortilla right before serving.  Don’t do that too early or you’ll have soggy tortillas!  Serve with soup above (or any soup for that matter)!  DELISH -OUS!

Nutrition Analysis—numbers you need to know:

Southwestern Chicken Barley Bean Soup recipe yields 3+ quarts=12 (approximately 1-cup) servings.  Per serving info is as follows:   Calories, 248.  Total Fat, 3 g.  Saturated Fat, trace.  Cholesterol, 44 mg.  Carbohydrate, 27 g.  Fiber, 7 g.  Protein, 26 g.  Sodium, 175 mg.

Cheesy Sour-Creamy Tortillas recipe yield is flexible.  1 tortilla per serving.  Per serving info is as follows:   Calories, 155.  Total Fat, 4 g.  Saturated Fat, 1g.  Cholesterol, 11 mg.  Carbohydrate, 17 g.  Fiber, 2 g.  Protein, 10 g.  Sodium, 155 mg.

ALL TOTALS:

Calories:  403

Total Fat:  7 g

Saturated Fat:  1 g 

Cholesterol:  55 mg

Carbohydrate:  44 g

Fiber:  9 g

Protein:  36 g

Sodium:   330 mg

SPECIAL WARNING:  This meal has the potential for sodium overload.  The broth, beans, tomatoes, chilies, cheese—the sodium can add up in a hurry.  The specific ingredient brands I’ve listed are either VERY low in sodium or have no salt added at all.  Be careful substituting brands that aren’t so stingy with the salt shaker. 

If you don’t have much of a low-sodium choice locally, branch out.  I joined a wonderful food co-op that opened up my low- or no-sodium product selection a whole heckuva lot. (Check out http://www.unfi.com--u/ United Natural Foods Inc.  They may have a chapter in your area.  I have no relationship with this company other than being a satisfied customer.)

Of course, you can always make your own (broth, cooked beans, cooked tomatoes and chilies) and man (or wo-man) the salt shaker yourself!   But, that takes the “quick and easy prep” down a peg or two.

Enough with the talkin’, LET’S EAT!!