Beans Can Make Or Break Your Chicken Tortilla Soup

A bowl of steamy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup sounds about perfect in cold weather. Better yet, as one of the more forgiving dishes out there, it's great if you're in the hibernating mood and don't want to exert too much effort for dinner. Chicken, tomatoes, some broth, a scattering of beans, and you've got a warm bowl to tuck into. But watch out for the last part — not only is it the thing that's going to tie the recipe together, it's also where a lot of people go wrong.

Not every can of beans on the shelf will work here. You'll want something that complements flavors, and softens as it cooks and blends into the soup's texture. Ideally, black beans or pinto beans are your best bet. When you simmer them in the pot, they turn the broth silky and add body without much fuss. But, what if you reach for chickpeas? Things will get tough ... literally. No matter how long you cook chickpeas, they'll stay firm and your otherwise velvety soup will taste like there are pebbles floating inside. Butter beans aren't any less problematic. Starchy and oversized, they'd take up half of the room in your pot the moment they're introduced. The result of choosing the wrong bean is always the same: you get a less cohesive dish. So use a suitable type of bean, because you don't want your supposed-to-be-comforting chicken tortilla soup to come with a side of regret.

Don't have black or pinto beans in the pantry right now? Check your shelves for kidney beans. These will slip into the soup nicely. While meatier than the other options, they soften in the broth without turning into mush. You can also use red beans if you have them, as well as white cannellini and Great Northern beans. Each performs slightly differently in the pot than the others, but there's a common thread with all of them: they all lean more toward the creamier, delicate side when it comes to texture and flavor, making them perfect for chicken tortilla soup.

Ready to get creative? If your pantry is well-stocked, try mixing bean varieties instead of just picking one type. Try half black and half pinto in your soup. What makes black beans special is that they hold their shape in broth, so they can bring some much-needed texture. Pintos, though? They basically melt into the liquid, thickening everything up while adding some earthy depth. But this is just one pairing to try; mess around with other combos and see what clicks. You might create something good enough to flip the script and have grandma asking for your recipe!