Celebrate National Soup Month with Chicken Tortilla Soup and Potato Soup Recipes

There's nothing I enjoy more than digging up a good soup recipe on a cold day. And January is national soup month, giving me another excuse to break out my favorite soup recipes. Chicken tortilla soup and potato soup are two of my favorite soups - both make a hearty meal on their own, or can be served as side dishes. These are my chicken tortilla soup and potato soup recipes, two soup recipes that will quickly become favorites in your house too.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This soup recipe is one I developed through many tries, I'm finally satisfied I've found the perfect chicken tortilla soup recipe. This soup recipe makes a medium-spicy chicken tortilla soup, for a mild chicken tortilla soup use a mild can of green chilies and regular chili powder.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 48 oz. can chicken stock
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14 oz. can yellow corn, drained
1 6 oz. can diced hot green chilies, undrained
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 fresh anaheim chili, diced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp. mexican style chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
black pepper, to taste
tortilla chips
grated pepper-jack cheese

Chicken Tortilla Soup Instructions

Cut the chicken into slices and cook it over medium-heat in a large soup pot. Once cooked, remove chicken from pot and dice into small pieces.

While the chicken cooks, dice the vegetables and chop the cilantro.

After removing chicken from the soup pot, add olive oil and allow to heat up. Once oil is heated, add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring often to avoid burning the garlic. After 1 minute, add carrots and bell pepper, and saute for another three minutes. Stir often, don't let the vegetables scorch. After three minutes, add the zucchini and onion and saute for another 2 minutes, continuing to stir often.

Add oregano, chili powder and cilantro to the vegetables, and mix well. The vegetables should be evenly coated with spices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

Add remaining ingredients, except chips and cheese, to the soup pot. Bring soup to a full boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.

After an hour, your chicken tortilla soup is ready to serve. Ladle into individual bowls. Top each bowl of chicken tortilla soup with crushed tortilla chips and cheese as desired.

Potato Soup Recipe
The original version of this potato soup recipe was given to me by the wife of my former boss, an Irish family who enjoys potato soup often. I've tweaked this potato soup recipe to my tastes, I'm sure you'll love this potato soup too.

Potato Soup Ingredients
16 medium white potatoes
1 14.5 oz. can chicken stock
1 12 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. bacon
1 leek, diced
1/2 of a white onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups 2% milk
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp. black pepper

Potato Soup Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Once water boils, add potatoes to the pot and cook for 20 minutes or until soft.

Cook bacon in a skillet, then dice the cooked bacon. Keep the bacon grease.

Dice onion, celery and leek and saute in bacon grease until soft. Once cooked, drain grease.

Once potatoes are cooked, drain water and thoroughly mash potatoes. Combine the mashed potatoes and all other ingredients in a large soup pot. Cook over medium-heat until cheese is melted and potato soup is heated through.

If desired, serve your potato soup topped with diced scallions (green onions).

With these delicious chicken tortilla soup and potato soup recipes, you're sure to enjoy national soup month in style. Both soup recipes make enough for several servings,and both soups can be frozen for later enjoyment. For another great soup recipe, check out my pasta fagioli soup recipe and my chili recipe.