Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

A bonus post for you this week. This particular post goes out to one of my favorite bloggers, Annie of Annie's Eats. There are many different times when food bloggers join together to celebrate joyous occasions, but the bond comes through even stronger when someone in the community is struggling. Right now Annie and her family are in that position. On Thanksgiving, Annie posted about losing her father suddenly. She was making the final preparations for dinner when she got the phone call that her father had passed away. Her tribute to him was very touching, and made me appreciate having been surrounded by my loved ones just hours before.

Annie, even though we have never met, if I lived closer by I would deliver this chicken enchilada soup to you. Knowing that Mexican is one of your very favorite cuisines, it would be just a little something to cheer you up. It is warm and comforting with lots of flavor. I know that nothing anyone can say will make you feel any better, but I hope that you find comfort in the many memories you have of your Dad. You have also reminded me to always remember to say "I love you" to my loved ones because you never know when they will leave you.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounce) Rotel diced tomatoes and jalapenos
1 package (10 ounce) frozen corn
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup bell pepper, diced
1 can (10 ounce) Enchilada sauce
2 whole chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

What you'll do:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and ½ cup milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and chicken broth mixture . Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth. Set aside.

In a crockpot, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup, mix together. Top with cheese and serve. I topped ours with slices of avocado, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.

Source: So Tasty, So Yummy