Slow Cooker Chicken & Quinoa Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lb raw chicken breasts
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or brown basmati rice)
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 vine tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 can (15oz) black beans (drained)
• 15 oz frozen corn
• 1/3 cup diced hatch chile (optional)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1.5 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• sea salt & pepper to taste
• chopped avocado
• fresh cilantro
• fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Add all of the ingredients – except for the garnish – into a slow cooker and give the mixture a hearty stir.

2. 2

   Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 3 to 4 hours, or set it to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Cooking with high heat in less time will yield more of a soup-like consistency; whereas cooking with low heat for a longer time will create a thicker, stew-like broth.

3. 3

   Once the soup has cooked for about 80% of the desired cook time, remove the chicken breasts with tongs and set them on a plate. Pull the chicken apart using forks, and then place the chicken back in the slow cooker to finish cooking for the remaining time.

4. 4

   Serve immediately and enjoy with freshly chopped avocado, cilantro and lime juice.