Soups are a fantastic way to cut calories and save money. A large bowl of chicken or vegetable-based broth is very satisfying. Making your own soup at home will help you cut costs, sodium and calories.

The following recipe is a favorite in our home. Chicken quarters are very affordable. We buy the large 10 pound bags for less than $10. We then use the chicken quarters in a variety of recipes to get the most bang for our buck.

Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients: (makes a very large pot of soup)

• 5 lbs chicken quarters
• 1 small can green chilies
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans black beans
• 2 cans yellow hominy
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Directions:

In a large pot, boil the chicken quarters in water with salt, pepper and garlic powder until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the broth and debone. Pour broth through a mesh strainer into a large bowl and set aside. Allowing the broth to cool completely will bring the fat to the top of the liquid. Gently scrape the fat from the top of the bowl and discard. This simple step keeps the soup light and lower in fat and calories.

Dice the onion and place in a large pot with a few tablespoons of olive oil and the green chilies. Allow onion to brown slightly. Add shredded chicken to the pot along with taco season and ranch dressing mix. Stir in two cans of tomato sauce and then add the chicken broth back to the pot.

Open two cans of black beans and drain and rinse before adding to the pot. Open the hominy, drain and add to the pot. Pour the Mexican-style stewed tomatoes into a blender and blend well and then add this to your soup.

Stir well to mix all the wonderful flavors. Cover and allow to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to one hour.

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Amanda Coers is a stay-at-home mother of three children. With a tight budget and an expanding waistline, she is constantly looking for ways to cut costs and calories. Amanda lives in Brownwood with her sweet family and rowdy Labrador puppy.