(Chicken) Taco Soup

There is nothing like a good soup on a chilly day right? Oh how I love the fall. This week it has suddenly turned to fall here and I am in love with it. The trees, the smell, the feel, the weather-all of it. Last year our fall wasn't so chilly and I found myself missing it. This delicious soup from The Girl Who Ate Everything really hits the spot. It really helps that it is super EASY! I love crock-pot meals.

The only reason that the Chicken is in parenthesis is because I have been making a LOT of chicken dishes lately and so I used ground beef this time. Usually I make this recipe with Chicken. Both were absolutely delicious! Try one or the other or both!

Chicken Taco Soup 

Ingredients: 

2 or 3 Chicken Breasts OR
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 White Onion, chopped.
1 can Chili Beans (I get the spicy kind!)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles.
1 Package Taco seasoning.
Shredded cheese (optional)
Lime (Optional)
Cilantro (Optional)
Tortilla Chips (Optional)
Sour Cream (Optional)

Directions: 

1. In a slow cooker, combine Onion,Chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Stir to combine. *The original recipe says to cook the onions a little before so they aren't crunchy, I don't ever do this and I find my onions to be soft enough. But if you are worried about it, go ahead and do it!
2. Place the chicken on top of the soup but press down on it so that the sauce and ingredients cover it just slightly. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. However, if your chicken is frozen you will have to cook it closer to 5 hours.
3. If you use Ground Beef instead. I like to season my meat first and brown it. Then I place it in the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Remove Chicken and shred. Put the chicken back into the crock-pot and stir to combine. You can cook longer if you would like or eat right away. It's delicious.
5. Garnish with shredded cheese, LIME --This is my favorite thing to add to this dish-it makes such a difference, Cilantro,  broken tortilla chips, and sour cream!

ENJOY!