Southwestern Chicken Soup

I got this recipe from a coworker years ago. He referred to it as "Black Bean Chicken Chili (from the Deep Midwest)". Not only is this a mouthful to say, I didn't think it accurately described the dish. Since I've made this soup several times, I have revised the recipe to our tastes.

Today, I made this soup for the first time this season, and it was really delicious. It made the house smell wonderful. My husband made some corn bread to accompany the soup, and we had a nice one-pot supper. We also have leftovers for lunch this week.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 can pinto beans (do not drain)
1 can whole kernel corn (do not drain)
1 can chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup Pace Picante Sauce (choose your own heat level)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Salt and pepper chicken on both sides. Over medium heat, saute chicken in a little oil or cooking spray until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and chop into bite size pieces, and reserve. Making sure you have oil or cooking spray in the pan, saute the onions, garlic, and red and yellow peppers until softened.

When vegetables have softened, add the beans, corn, chicken broth, picante sauce and chicken to the pan. Heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then simmer until the desired consistency is reached (about 30 minutes).

We serve the soup with a sprinkle of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a shake of hot sauce.