4 large skinless chicken breasts OR 8-10 skinless chicken thighs
1 large can of diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are best if you can find them)
1 carton organic chicken broth (1L)
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, de-seeded and diced (sub hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne)
1 green bell pepper diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP smoky paprika
1 TBSP cumin
Sea Salt & fresh cracked Pepper to taste
Olive oil
3-4 cups water
Optional Garnishes– avocado, fresh tomato, green onion, cilantro
Variation. If you want to increase the veggie content, add 2 diced carrots and 2 celery during the sautéing phase! If you’re not strictly paleo and can handle some legumes, go ahead and add some black beans to give it a Tex-Mex feel!
Lay the chicken on a baking sheet. Drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with the chili powder and cumin. Bake at 400 C for 30-40 min (until browned). In the meantime in a large pot sautée the onion, peppers, smoky paprika and garlic for a few minutes until golden. Add tomatoes, broth, water. Bring to a boil and simmer 30min. Remove chicken from oven once cooked and shred with a fork. Add to soup and simmer 5 more minutes. Adjust the flavour if needed. Add chopped cilantro, avocado, green onion and lime as garnish. Enjoy!
Crockpot Version. Toss the chicken in a little olive oil and then the spices. In a hot pan sear the chicken 1-2 min. per side and then transfer into the crockpot (this intensifies the flavour). Then add all other ingredients and set your crockpot! Dinner will be ready when you get home – just add the toppings once you serve!
Dr. Anna Falkowski is a Naturopathic Doctor, Wellness Educator & Clinic Director at Vitality for Life Health Center in Barrie, Ontario with a specialty in Women’s Health, Weight-loss and Family Medicine. She is a healthy living advocate passionate about teaching classes and creating online programs for ‘Mom on the Glow’, her wellness blueprint for busy Moms. For more information you can visit www.vitalityforlife.ca or www.MomOnTheGlow.com
