What if I told you, you could have a delicious restaurant quality meal in 45 minutes, 30 of which you can just sit back and let the food do it’s thing?

Well, here’s your hearty, warm, comforting meal that’s really just too easy.

I promise there’s chicken soup other all that cheese!

So good I could eat it every day for a week. Oh wait, I did.

Southwest Chicken Soup:
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Ingredients: (serves 4-6)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb chicken
32 low sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used medium and it was perfect)
4 oz can green chilies
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper

For toppings:
Salsa
Avocado
Mexican blend cheese
Fresh Cilantro
Lime wedges
Cornbread crumbles(recipe fallows)

Directions:
In a large pot add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sprinkle in cumin and cayenne and stir. Cut chicken into small chunks, season with salt and pepper, and add to onion and garlic mixture. Brown on each side, about 8 minutes total. You can also use pre-cooked, shredded chicken and add it in at this time, just proceed to the next step.

Pour in chicken stock, chilies and enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes (or longer if you want). Microwave the corn according to directions and throw them whenever. Right before serving, stir in sour cream. Top with toppings and serve!

Cast Iron Cornbread:
Ingredients: (serves 8)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup corn oil (can use veg. but use corn for best results)
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Sift together all the dry ingredients besides the sugar, in a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, then set aside. Add the wet ingredients in a small bowl, set aside. Lightly oil (about a tablespoon) of corn oil in a cast iron skillet and heat the skillet in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, add your wet to your dry ingredients, stir until just mixed (trying not to over stir.) Let sit for about 5 minutes. Get your skillet out of the oven and pour in the cornbread mixture (you should hear a sizzle!) Then put it back in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cut into pieces and serve!

The best cornbread in the world. I swear by it! It’s been in my family for decades. Heating up the skillet before you put in the batter forms a nice crust on the outside with a moist inside. It’s out of this world. Especially with butter or sopped up in soup!