Hello Frugal Foodies! The first time I had this Easy Six Can Soup was years ago at a friend’s. I was visiting, stayed on for dinner, and of course, had to ask for the recipe for this awesomeness!
Easy Six Can Soup (Chicken Tortilla Soup)
I was blown away when he showed me the recipe he’d pulled off one of the cans. Turns out his Chicken Tortilla Soup was made in minutes from almost all pantry ingredients.
About Easy Six Can Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup:
It would be easy to turn up your nose (as I write this, I wonder if that phrase is still used) at this simple soup. That would be a mistake!
Easy Six Can Soup is a great back-pocket recipe that can be tossed together (maybe by one of your teenagers) whenever you need something quick, easy, and filling – not to mention, cheap!
Making Easy Six Can Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup:
This is just a soup-er (sorry – I couldn’t help myself) dump and simmer soup. Here are a few things to know:
- Rinse your corn and beans. It helps remove the canned taste, improves the color of the soup (liquid from the beans will make it dark and murky), and reduces the sodium.
- Rotel is key. It really adds (I’m NOT getting paid to say this) something to the soup.
- Cream of chicken soup adds body. I’ve made it without but prefer it with. Maybe this is seven-can soup?
- Canned chicken brands vary in quality. Know what you’re buying. To drain, open the can, place the lid back on top, and press down while holding the can upside down over the sink – just like canned tuna. Break it up as needed and add at the end to just heat through.
Replacing Canned Chicken:
Easy Six Can Soup is best with chicken you’ve cooked. It’s a great use for leftover (serve chicken earlier in the week and make a little extra) or rotisserie chicken, although it’s surprisingly good (read better than expected) with canned.
- For roasted chicken: brush the tops of 2 bone-in chicken breasts with a little oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees F. on a foil-lined tray for 30 to 35 minutes (temp of 160 degrees F.) Let it rest, tented with foil until cool enough to handle.
- For poached: place boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or use bone-in but cook five minutes longer) in a pot. Cover with water, add a teaspoon of salt, a few black peppercorns, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn down to a bare simmer, and simmer until 160 degrees F, about 10 to 12 minutes. If time allows, cool in the broth before shredding.
The Flavorings:
- This isn’t a standard soup starting with cooking items like onion and garlic as a base.
- I like to tinker, and this is what I came up with: Go by taste, but try my additions of a little garlic and onion powder, cumin, and a touch of chili powder.
Six Can Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup
What to Serve with Easy Six Can Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- Tortillas: I love cutting them into strips and shallow frying them. If you want more direction on that, see Homemade Tortilla Strips.
- Alternatively, serve with fresh tortillas for dipping or crushed tortilla chips to sprinkle on top.
- Lime: It’s essential! The acid boosts the flavor.
- Favorites: Add any of your standards, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, avocado, green onion, etc.
Make this a Meal:
Add a cheesy quesadilla. For a crunchy quesadilla, add more oil to a skillet than you would think; enough to come almost to the level of the tortilla. (My son taught me this when he was about nine.) I said, “That’s too much oil”, and he said, “Trust me.” He was right!
Cornbread can never be wrong. These are the ones on my site I think would be best with Easy Six Can Soup:
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread; an absolute favorite.
- Famous Dave’s Cornbread: A moist, Northern cornbread.
- Southern Skillet Cornbread: perfect to crumble in your soup.
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Storing and Reheating Easy Six Can Soup:
I double Easy Six Can Soup just for leftovers. Place leftovers in a container in the fridge, covering after it’s cool. It keeps well for several days and freezes beautifully.
Reheat in the microwave. A serving takes about 1 1/2 minutes, but allow for a longer time if reheating more or reheating from frozen.
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Canned Beans:
- Canned beans are pricier than dried, but won’t break the bank. One pound dried is the equivalent of three cans.
- Check for great pricing in the ethnic aisles and vegetable aisles. Discount stores have great pricing.
Canned Chicken:
- Generally, sales are unadvertised. Discount groceries have great pricing, and buyers’ clubs are said to have better quality.
- Always compare the price per ounce.
- Check the aisle for sales and consider store brands.
Ro-Tel Tomatoes:
- Save by buying store brands and/or on sale. Both Aldi and Lidl carry a version, as do many Mexican/Latino markets.
- If not available in your area, sub in diced tomatoes with a small can (or partial) of green chiles.
Chicken Stock:
- The best flex is making Best Chicken or Turkey Stock.
- Cartons are priciest, cans, next. Stock up during holiday sales, check your buyer’s club and discount groceries. It should go w/o saying but some are awful.
- Pastes (Better than Bullion) are next in price and better quality than powders.
- If budget is tight, go with powdered; check the Mexican aisle or market for best pricing.
- If using a box (32 ounces or 4 cups), have a plan for the remaining 1/2 cup or label and freeze. When enough accumulates in the freezer, use it for a recipe.
I think this looks (and tastes) a lot like a popular chain restaurant’s Tortilla Soup. I wonder if that’s where the original Easy Six Can Soup came about? If you try this, I hope you’ll let me know what you think. Take it easy, and take care. Until next time!
Mollie
Six Can Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup
easy six can soup (chicken tortilla soup)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
- 2 14.5-ounce cans chicken stock or broth (29 ounces, about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 10.5 ounce cream of chicken soup
- Recommended spices, optional, to taste: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 10-ounce can Rotel with juices, any appropriate variety
- 1 10-ounce can of chicken, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- garnishes: tortillas, tortilla strips, or crushed tortilla chips and lime, along with your favorite garnishes: Choose from cilantro, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, either fresh or pickled, avocado, green onion, and so on.
Instructions
Add chicken broth or stock to a Dutch oven, along with the corn, black beans, pinto beans, Rotel, and cream of chicken soup .Add in any spices to taste, stirring after each addition. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have blended and soup is hot, about 10 to 15 minutes. Once warm, taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt if needed.
Add the chicken and allow it to heat through, at a low simmer, for just a minute or two.
Serve with tortillas, tortilla strips, or crushed tortilla chips and lime, along with other preferred garnishes.
Nutritional Values do not include garnishes. Sodium is less than stated since the corn and beans have been rinsed.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 320 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 6 g | 10 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 7 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 50 mg | 17 % |
| Sodium 1211 mg | 50 % |
| Potassium 857 mg | 24 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 37 g | 12 % |
| Dietary Fiber 11 g | 46 % |
| Sugars 7 g | |
| Protein 27 g | 55 % |
| Vitamin A | 30 % |
| Vitamin C | 9 % |
| Calcium | 8 % |
| Iron | 19 % |
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