The Trader Joe's Salsa That Doubles As The Easiest Dinner Base
When it comes to flavorful meals, Trader Joe's makes it easy. The refrigerators are filled with prepared foods like salads and burritos and the freezers are a goldmine of frozen entrées, sides, and ingredients. Plus, the combination of fresh produce, marinated proteins, and flavorful packaged items means a delicious dinner is at your fingertips — especially if you're feeling creative. Case in point: Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica, which is both a deliciously simple dip for chips or taco topping and, according to Trader Joe's, the perfect base for a quick and satisfying chicken tortilla soup.
Think about it: The salsa only has six ingredients (tomato purée, yellow chili pepper, salt, vinegar, dehydrated onion, and garlic powder) that would all show up in a chicken tortilla soup recipe anyway. Plus, the hard work of achieving a perfect spice level has already been done for you. To make it even easier, the rest of the soup's ingredients can be found right in your pantry. Add a carton of chicken broth, canned beans and corn, and even canned chicken and you've got dinner with no heavy lifting.
Here's how to make easy chicken tortilla soup at home
If you're following Trader Joe's recipe, you can have tortilla soup in your bowl in about 15 minutes. Simply drain your canned beans, corn, and chicken, and add them to a pot with the salsa and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until everything is combined and heated through. Add your favorite toppings, and dinner is done.
Got more time on your hands? You've got options. Tortilla soup is the perfect thing to pop in your slow cooker. You can even follow most of the Trader Joe's recipe, using salsa instead of fresh onion and canned tomatoes for minimal prep work. Just swap the canned chicken for raw chicken breast (better yet, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for more flavor), then let your slow cooker work for a few hours. Remove the cooked chicken breast, shred it, and return it to the soup before serving. To make this soup vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for veggie broth and add extra beans and a diced bell pepper.
Once you've got soup, don't forget the toppings. A squeeze of lime, some diced avocado, and a bit of cheese are a must. And of course, it wouldn't be tortilla soup without tortillas. Serve your soup with your favorite chips, or fry your own tortilla chips for the freshest, crispiest bite.