A Perfect Way to Use Leftover Chicken!
Somehow we always seem to have leftover chicken around the house, which pretty much means the dogs are in hog-heaven like 24/7. I started making this Black Bean soup after we had something super similar at one of the local Mexican restaurants in our area.
I can pretty much guarantee that it wasn’t exactly healthy – or at least not nearly as healthy as this one. They served it with sour cream and warm, slightly salty tortilla chips….. I mean…. yes please!!! I went home and made a healthier version of it which I hope you love as much as we do!
This concoction has all of the typical southwestern flavors we love – fresh lime, cilantro and cumin. After that, it’s pretty much just shredded chicken (skinless, white meat), protein rich black beans, tomatoes – and chicken stock. Instead of sour cream, I use a dollop of Plain Greek Yogurt.
You can easily make this vegetarian by swapping in Vegetable Stock and omitting the chicken, of course. Store in the fridge for a couple days worth of super healthy Heat & Eat lunches or dinners! Try it – let me know what you think 😉
No leftover chicken? No problem-o! Just sprinkle chicken breasts with a little salt & ground cumin (both sides), and bake. Let cool, then shred. That’s it!
Healthy Southwestern Black Bean Soup, with Chicken & Kale
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, diced OR 2-3 TB of garlic paste in the tube
- Pinch of red pepper flakes to taste
- Cilantro, chopped – about 1 small bunch
- 2 limes: Zest & juice of 1 (separated). The other for wedges to serve.
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
- 1 can tomatoes, diced – do not drain
- 1 (32-oz) carton of low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups kale, chopped, fibrous centers removed
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- Plain Greek Yogurt to dollop on top (extra protein!)
Instructions
- In a large Dutch-oven or soup pan, heat 1 TB of olive oil over medium-heat. Add in garlic, cilantro and lime zest and sauté for 1-2 minutes until nice and fragrant.
- Next, stir in your ground cumin and chili flakes (if desired) – fry for about another minute to let the flavors marry. Then add black beans, tomatoes and chicken stock, stirring. Bring the entire mixture to a boil.
- With a potato masher, smoosh (yes, that’s a word) down on the black beans in the pot. This will release some of their starch and give the soup a nice thickness. Reduce to a Simmer – add in the Kale and allow it to wilt. Then add you chicken.
- Finally, add in a little of the lime juice. Stir and taste – adding in more lime juice if desired. Serve with a dollop of Plain Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream (it’ll add a lil’ more protein)!, a sprig of cilantro to make it pretty, and wedge of lime.
