CopyCat Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

For Soup:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3 chicken breasts (skinless/boneless)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup Masa Harina (found in Mexican food section of grocery store)
3 cups water
1 cup red enchilada sauce
16 ounces Velveeta Cheese (small box), diced into cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For Tortilla Garnish:
3-4 corn tortillas
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

For Pico de Gallo:
1 medium tomato , diced
1 heaping Tablespoon minced red onion
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 handful cilantro (approx. 3 Tablespoons), chopped
Salt and Pepper , to taste

Directions

To prepare soup:
Add vegetable oil to a large pan. Heat on medium heat. When oil is hot, add chicken breasts to pot; cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until they are light brown. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add chopped onion to pan. Cook over medium heat for two minutes,; add the minced garlic for the last 30 seconds (so it won’t burn and become bitter). Add chicken broth to the onions.

In bowl or large mixing cup, mix the masa harina with 2 cups of water. Mix well, to combine, then add to chicken broth and onion mixture in pan. Whisk well, to combine.

Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese cubes, and spices to the pan. Cook, and bring it all to a boil.
Shred the chicken into small pieces (I use two forks to do this); add chicken to soup. Reduce the heat and let soup simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching on the bottom of pan. Soup will thicken as it cooks. Prepare tortilla strips and pico de gallo while soup cooks. When done, ladle soup into serving bowls, and garnish with pico de gallo and tortilla strips.

To Make Tortilla Strips:
Cut tortillas in half, then cut into thin strips. Coat strips with vegetable oil, then bake at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes on each side (flipping midway through baking), until light brown and crispy.

To Make Pico de Gallo:
Combine ingredients in small bowl. Mix well. Taste test; add additional salt/pepper, if desired.