I’ve actually been quite surprised at some of the fun meals and snacks that have come from the pantry, fridge, and freezer. There has been some fails, like the absolutely gross tamale pie that I invented or the buttermilk scones that I made without buttermilk. But, there have been some truly yummy lunches and dinners that I’ve been able to throw together. My family hardly knows that we’re “eating from the pantry.” So, I’ve got my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to refill it with some great things next week to keep the love flowing.
Today FishPapa was home sick, so I tried to recreate my brother’s Tortilla Soup. Upon calling Little Brother, he, of course, did not have a recipe and says that he makes it different every time. But, today’s lunch worked for me. I had the crumbs of a bag of tortilla chips, some chicken breasts, plenty of homemade turkey and chicken broth, and enough veggies to make it work. Hubs says he would prefer no tomato and less onion. You make the call.
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- two 15-ounce cans black beans rinsed and drained
- 15.5- ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 10- ounce bag tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded jack or cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Season the chicken with the taco seasoning mix.
- In a large soup pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken, onion, carrots, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned and the onions have gone clear, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, beans, and tomatoes. Simmer about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper or additional Taco Seasoning Mix.
- To serve, place a handful of chips in bowl, ladle soup over the top. Garnish with cheese and cilantro.
Nutritional values are approximate and do not include chips, cheese, and cilantro toppings.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly and store in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days.
Have you got a great recipe inspired by what’s in your pantry? Share it with us!
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Yum! That soup looks like it would warm our bones here in cold Indiana!
Thanks for hosting!
~Liz
I’ve been thinking about making a veggie “dump” soup at the end of the month with our leftovers! (I dump them all into one container in the freezer!) I think this recipe will come in handy! 🙂 And I just remember, I still haven’t used my extra turkey broth that is frozen from Thanksgiving…. mmmmm….
And my hubby will LOVE that I buy tortilla chips! (If I buy it, I will eat it, therefore I don’t often buy chips!)
Thank you! That soup looks yummy!
I’ve pretty much been a stickler for recipes my whole life, but recently I have decided to branch out. These days, I make vegetable soup… I just blend up any old vegetables I have laying around in my house, add some spices and then add goat cheese and wah lahh, it’s done! Maybe I should do a blog post about it someday hehe..
My last few years have been spent eating from the pantry, so my entire site is pantry recipes. I’ll link some for you!
Brandy
Ha Ha!! I thought it said “party inspiration”:-) Hee, hee, hee. Oh well, my recipe is a good way to use up those spices that may be getting close to their prime:-)
that sounds quite tasty!
Here is a great chicken enchillda soup and it is an easy open the cans and dump in recipe with stuff I always have in the pantry. Also makes a lot to freeze for future meals. Also you can make your own variations depending on what is in your pantry
In a large stock pot combine:
2 or 3 chicke breast
Enough chicken broth to cover chicken
Cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken and shred or cut up which ever you find easiest. Put chicken back in broth then add:
1 can chopped chiles (optional maes it spicy)
2 cans enchillada sauce
2 packets powdered enchillada sauce
2 cups frozen corn
1 large can black beans drained
1 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1Tablespoon chilli powder
cook 30 minutes, serve with tortilla chips crushed on top, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
We love it & so easy!!!
the soup looks delicious I would love to serve with warm rolls and a salad and all would be well
I love tortilla anything! YUM!
just the thing for a snowy day like today (2/6) in northern VA. My recipe is most like Dina’s (above). I add chopped corn tortillas (2-4) to the soup while it is simmering to help thicken the soup. I also cut some tortillas into strips, spray with cooking spray and a little sprinkle of salt, and bake @ 350 for about 4-6 min (keep an eye on them), to serve on the soup. If you have some avocado, cilantro, and lime: cube the avocado, chop the cilantro and quarter the lime to serve as garnish. However – this is not on my menu – I made some White Chili in the crockpot yesterday – should hit the spot.
PS – thanks for this lovely site – always inspiring