Chicken Enchilada Soup

When I was in San Diego I got a free, autographed copy of the cookbook "Hungry Girl - 300 under 300" by Lisa Lillien.  You might have seen her on the Food Network - her second season just started recently!  The cookbook, as the title says, has 300 recipes that are all under 300 calories.  That's a lot of recipes and I have a serious addiction to cookbooks!!  I find it next to impossible to pass up a free one! 

As I was flipping through the pages on the plane, I found an interesting sounding recipe for "The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup".  It says that it's one of the most popular Hungry Girl soups of all time, so I decided to make it this week.  I was really hoping the recipe would turn out well because it calls for a whole can of pumpkin!  Yep, that's right, pumpkin (don't worry, it doesn't taste like pumpkin)! And, I don't know if you've heard but there's a pumpkin shortage this year.  Finding canned pumpkin at the store is getting difficult.  I hate to waste a whole can on a recipe that might not turn out.  Well, all I can say is Wowza!  That's some seriously good soup and it uses ingredients that you are likely to have on had.  Dinner can be ready in less than 20 minutes!!  So, if you like Mexican-type foods, you'll love this dish.  The following is my slightly modified version - you know I can't just leave recipes alone!! Give it a try!

The Whole Chicken Enchilada Soup

By: Hungry Girl/Lisa Lillien

3 cups fat-free chicken broth (Low sodium too)
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
2 10-ounce cans green enchilada sauce
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
10 ounces cooked and shredded chicken breast
1 cup frozen corn
Optional: dash hot sauce, shredded low fat cheddar cheese, baked tortilla chips

In a large pot, add about 1/2 cup broth, celery and onion and simmer/saute until slightly tender, about 5 minutes adding more broth if it gets too dry.  Stir in the rest of the chicken broth, enchilada sauce and pumpkin; stir well.  When the soup returns to a low boil, add chicken and corn.  Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until soup is heated through.  Add a dash or more of hot sauce, if desired.  Top with shredded cheese and baked tortilla chips!

Nutrition facts per one cup serving:  105 calories, 1.75g fat, 641mg sodium, 12.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g sugar, 11g protein