Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

I love healthy, flavorful soups, especially when they are quick and easy to make.  I found this recipe on Pinterest recently and saved it to my Soups board.  This soup starts with a roux based sauce on the stove top, then you add all the ingredients to the crock pot and let it simmer all day long.  The chicken is so moist and the soup has an amazing rich smoky flavor. You can top it with your favorites, like shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.  I topped mine with sliced avocados, and my hubby and kids always use shredded cheese on all soup.

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
3 T flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1 - 15 oz. can enchilada sauce
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 - jalapeno, finely diced
1 - green bell pepper, chopped
1 - yellow onion, chopped
1 - 15 oz. can corn, no salt added
1 - can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - can mild Rotel tomatoes, with juice
1 - lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Toppings of choice: shredded cheese, avocados, sour cream, green onions, olives, jalapenos

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.  Cook for a minute, then stir in the chicken broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until thick, whisking constantly.  Add the enchilada sauce, cumin, paprika, chili powder, Mexican oregano, and garlic powder and whisk to combine.  Turn off heat.

In a crock pot, add the jalapeno, green bell pepper, onion, corn, black beans, and Rotel tomatoes (with juice) and stir.  Place the chicken breasts on top of veggies and pour the sauce all over.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

When you are ready to serve, remove the chicken and shred.  Add it back to the soup and stir.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.  Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Adapted from Dainty Chef