My favorite chicken enchiladas are a combination of diced chicken, sour cream, cheese and spinach, all wrapped in a flour tortilla and baked. While the combination is quite delicious, its preparation can be time consuming.

I devised my recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup as a way to satisfy my craving for the flavors of the dish without all the work. Start your meal with a big fruit salad or a salad of mixed greens tossed with grapefruit segments and your favorite poppy seed or sweet and sour dressing. And, serve your soup with plenty of tortilla chips for dipping.
 

• 2 tablespoons butter, margarine or olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
• 2 14-ounce cans low sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces reduced fat sour cream
• 1 10 3/4-ounce jar chili cheese dip*
• 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well
• 4 ounces reduced fat shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish, optional

Heat butter, margarine or olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add chicken and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 3 minutes more, until chicken is nearly done. Add diced green chilies and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in sour cream, chili cheese dip, and chopped spinach. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, but do not boil or it may curdle. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with some of the shredded cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

*Frito Lay brand was used for testing purposes.