Laura's Chicken & Salsa Soup

This is a super easy, super low fat soup. My husband does not like low fat things OR soup, and this is one of his favorite meals. I made it in a crock pot for a potluck lunch last Sunday and had several requests for the recipe. So, here it is. It is one of my "go to" recipes when I need something that turns out good every time. I've seen different versions online, but this is my take on it. I'll do the stove top version and the crock pot version.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in bite sized pieces (I use 2 cans of chicken from Sam's ... I know Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray would be COMPLETELY offended ... but for soup, I think it is fine)
• 1 3/4 C. of water
• I small can of diced green chilies
  
• 1 large onion chopped (I used chopped frozen onions for the potluck soup last week)
• 1 can of chicken broth (14.5 oz.) - I often use chicken bullion but if you want to cut down on the salt, use low sodium broth
• 1 1/2 tsp. of chili powder
• 1 tsp. of cumin powder
• 1 C. of loose pack whole kernel frozen corn (I have used drained canned corn before, but I think the frozen tastes better for some reason)
• 1 C. of thick and chunky salsa or picante sauce
• Garnishes - shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, tortilla chips. If you want to stay with the low fat version, buy all the low fat or baked varieties.

To make it in the crockpot, put all of the ingredients except the garnishes in the crockpot and put it on low for about 4 hours. If you are using raw chicken instead of canned chicken, cook the chicken first and then put it in the crockpot. To serve, crumble chips in the bottom of your bowl, then add cheese. Pour the soup over that and then top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions!

To make on the stove top, put the chopped onion in the bottom of a non-stick pan with a little water or a little healthy oil. If it is a non-stick pan, the water should do fine. Cook those until tender an a little caramelized. Add the green chilies and cook a little longer. Add the water, broth, chili powder, and chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Add the corn. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink (about 8 minutes or so) if you used the raw chicken. If you used the canned chicken, cook it until it is warmed through. Add the salsa and cook until warmed through. To serve, crumble tortilla chips in the bottom of your bowl and sprinkle with cheese. Ladle the soup over the chips and cheese. Top that with a dollop of sour cream and some green onions. DELICIOUS!