Creamy Mexican Soup

I have learned to like Mexican foods, but sometimes I get tired of the same old meals: tacos, enchiladas, etc. The other night I decided to make a Mexican soup and it turned out great. It was a big hit with the whole family. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like it. This recipe is a mild version, but spice it up with fresh jalapeños or other spices and Rotel in place of tomato sauce to give it additional kick. (For those of you with dairy issues, you could easily omit the milk and cream cheese and have a tomato Mexican soup without the "creamy" part of the recipe name, or use dairy alternatives such as plain almond milk or coconut milk.)

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil (for sautéing; can add more if desired)
1 medium onion
garlic (3-4 cloves, minced)
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 t. chili powder
4 c. water
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 1/2 pounds cooked, shredded or cubed chicken
1 c. frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. milk
2 oz. cream cheese, cubed (although the whole chunk also works; just takes longer to melt)
1/2 lime for juice (optional)
1/4 t. salt

Optional toppings:

Shredded cheddar or Mexican style cheese
Sour cream
Avocado
Taco chips, crushed and sprinkled on top

In a large pot on the stove, heat the olive oil and then add the onion, cooking it on medium heat for about 3 minutes, until it becomes translucent. Add in the garlic (and any peppers if you are going for the spicy route) as well as the cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Stir and allow them to cook for another couple of minutes.

Next, add the water and tomato sauce, stirring well, then put in the chicken, corn, and black beans. Give it a good stir.

Add in the milk and cream cheese, stirring every so often until the cream cheese melts. It's ok if you have little specks of cream cheese floating around; it still tastes just as good. If you're like me, it's hard to have the patience to wait for it to fully dissolve when it smells so good and you just want to dig in!

Finally, add in the salt and the juice from half a lime, stirring well.

Spoon it up into bowls and set out any additional toppings that you and your family would enjoy!