Winter is soup weather and soup can utilize the Instant Pot. Alley e-mails to note The Kitchn's Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe:
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 4 cloves
garlic
- 1 tablespoon
olive or vegetable oil
- About 1 pound
boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3 to 4)
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon
chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon
ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano
- 3 cups
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can
diced tomatoes with green chiles or fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 (about 15-ounce) can
black beans
- 1 1/4 cups
frozen corn kernels
Topping options: fresh cilantro leaves, shredded Monterey or colby jack cheese, diced avocado, lime wedges, thinly sliced scallions
For the tortilla chips (optional):
- 3
(about 6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups
vegetable oil (if deep frying) or cooking spray (if air frying or baking)
Kosher salt
Instructions
Make the soup:
Dice 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups). Coarsely chop 4 garlic cloves (about 1 tablespoon).
Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a 4-quart or larger Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker with the Sauté function until shimmering. Meanwhile, pat about 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs dry with paper towels, then season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Add the chicken to the pot and sear until well-browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion to the pot and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Turn the cooker off.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the cooker. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles and their juices and stir to combine. Lock the lid in place and make sure the valve is set to seal. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes (it will take about 11 minutes to come up to pressure). Meanwhile, drain and rinse 1 (about 15-ounce) can black beans. (This is a good time to make the chips.)
When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender directly in the cooker. (Alternatively, transfer to a stand blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.)
Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup. Add the black beans and 1 1/4 cups frozen corn kernels and use the Sauté setting to bring back to a simmer. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Serve with the tortilla chips and desired toppings.
Make the chips:
Option 1: Deep fry. Stack 3 corn tortillas and cut in half. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until 375ºF. Fry the tortilla strips in 3 batches: Add to the hot oil and fry, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown all over, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer to the paper towels and season lightly with kosher salt.
Option 2: Air fry. Heat an air fryer to 375ºF. Lightly coat 3 corn tortillas on both sides with cooking spray and season lightly with kosher salt. Stack the tortillas and cut in half. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Working in batches if needed, place in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry until light golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Non-spicy soup: For a non-spicy soup, use regular diced tomatoes instead of tomatoes with green chiles.
Make ahead: The soup and chips can be made up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate the soup in an airtight container, and store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature.
Storage: Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the soup overnight before reheating. The chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
These morons are declaring war on the Church? Oh, that'll go well. MAGA's been around for what, three hours?
2,000 years. That's how long the Catholic Church has been around. And we've got a global membership of 1.4 billion people.
This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Monday:
A 19-year-old college student was about to board a flight to surprise her family for Thanksgiving when she was detained at Boston Logan International Airport and deported to Honduras two days later, her father and lawyer said on Sunday.
The student, Any Lucía López Belloza, was brought by her parents from Honduras to the United States when she was 7. Her father, Francis López, said in a telephone interview on Sunday that neither Ms. López nor her parents knew there was an order for her deportation.
“When they arrested Any, that’s when they told her,” said Mr. López, a tailor.
He said his employer had arranged and paid for his daughter’s travel to Austin, Texas, to surprise him at work.
In the meantime, Americans do not think of Venezuela as a major threat to the US. Instead, more see a minor one, and they are largely opposed to potential military action.
So, the idea of potential U.S. military action in Venezuela meets with widespread disapproval. It doesn't get overwhelming backing from Republicans either.
Three in four Americans also say Trump would need congressional approval before taking military action in Venezuela, including just over half of Republicans.
While he wants to go to war with Venezuela over his allegations that they're trafficking in drugs, he's now eager to free someone convicted of drug trafficking. Santul Nerkar, Annie Correal and Colin Moynihan (NEW YORK TIMES) report:
He once boasted that he would “stuff the drugs up the gringos’ noses.” He accepted a $1 million bribe from El Chapo to allow cocaine shipments to pass through Honduras. A man was killed in prison to protect him.
At the federal trial of Juan Orlando Hernández in New York, testimony and evidence showed how the former president maintained Honduras as a bastion of the global drug trade. He orchestrated a vast trafficking conspiracy that prosecutors said raked in millions for cartels while keeping Honduras one of Central America’s poorest, most violent and most corrupt countries.
Last year, Mr. Hernández was convicted on drug trafficking and weapons charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison. It was one of the most sweeping drug-trafficking cases to come before a U.S. court since the trial of the Panamanian strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega three decades before.
Americans worked very hard on that conviction and taxpayers footed the bill. But our Convicted Felon Donald Chump wants to set the man free. Just a case of one crook scratching the back of another. Nadine Yousif (BBC NEWS) adds:
Hernández was found guilty in March 2024 of conspiring to import cocaine into the US, and of possessing machine guns. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Trump also threw his support behind conservative presidential candidate Nasry "Tito" Asfura in the Central American nation's general election, due to be held on Sunday.
Hernández, a member of the National Party, who served as Honduras's president from 2014 to 2022, was extradited to the US in April 2022 to stand trial for running a violent drug trafficking conspiracy and helping to smuggle hundreds of tons of cocaine to the US.
During his trial, prosecutors in New York said Hernández ran the Central American country like a "narco-state" and accepted millions of dollars in bribes from drug traffickers to shield them from the law.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of $8m (£6m) as part of his sentence.
At the end of May 2019, U.S. prosecutors unsealed documents from 2015 which revealed that Hernández was himself the subject of a major drug trafficking and money laundering investigation, alongside his sister Hilda and others.[54][55]
Hernández was identified as a co-conspirator in a drug trafficking and money laundering case against his brother, according to document filed in U.S. district court. Prosecutors allege $1.5 million in drug proceeds were used to help elect him in 2013.[55] Hernández responded saying he is a foe of traffickers who are out for revenge against him.[citation needed]
A document released by a U.S. district court implicates President Hernández in a conspiracy with his brother, Antonio "Tony" Hernández, and other high-level officials — including his presidential predecessor Porfirio Lobo Sosa — "to leverage drug trafficking to maintain and enhance their political power." Tony Hernández was sentenced to life in prison in January 2021 following his conviction on numerous charges related to his work in drug trafficking.[56]
The 44-page document – which is related to the trial of Tony Hernández in New York's Southern District on drug trafficking and other charges – summarizes some of the key evidence collected by prosecutors against the defendant, who they accuse of being a “violent, multi-ton drug trafficker” who allegedly abused his political connections for personal and political gain and at least twice “helped arrange murders of drug trafficking rivals.”[57]
On 7 February 2022, ex-president Hernández was announced to have had his visa revoked by the U.S. Department of State at the start of July in 2021, due to involvements in corruption and dealings with narcotics.[13] On 14 February, he was surrounded by the National police and DEA agents at his residency to process his capture and eventually take him to custody of the United States for possible trial. The U.S. government also requested an extradition against him for his involvement with narcotics.[15][14][16] After issuing an extradition warrant, Juan Orlando Hernández decided to surrender to US authorities on 15 February 2022.[18] The same day, local Honduran authorities arrested Hernández at his home in Tegucigalpa.[17]
During that time on 15 February the first audience of Juan Orlando Hernández was timed with the Supreme Court of Honduras placing the judge Edwin Ortez in charge of the case of extradition.[58] At a second proceeding on 16 March, Judge Ortez approved the order of extradition appealed by the Southern District of New York.[59] Hernández's lawyers appealed Ortez's ruling, but on 28 March 2022, the Supreme Court of Honduras rejected his appeal and authorized his extradition to the United States.[60][61]
On 21 April Hernández was extradited to the United States.[62][19] The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York unsealed their indictment, charging him with conspiracy to import cocaine to the United States (21 U.S.C. § 963), as well as firearms charges (under 18 U.S.C. § 924).[63]
The United States specifically charged Hernández with accepting millions of dollars in bribes from narcotraffickers since 2004, and in particular the Sinaloa Cartel, led at the time by Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, since 2012. The indictment states that Tony Hernández collected the bribes using men armed with machine guns; in exchange, Juan Orlando Hernández conspired to protect smugglers from investigation and arrest, specifically providing "access to law enforcement and military information, including data from flight radar in Honduras."[64]
In a video statement posted on social media, Hernández said he was innocent and that he had been set up by drug traffickers.[65]
On 10 May 2022, Hernández pled not-guilty to all charges and complained about the conditions in which he is being held, with his lawyer describing those conditions as those of a "prisoner of war", and saying they were "psychologically debilitating".[66]
Hernández's trial began on 21 February 2024 in New York City[67] and concluded on 8 March, when he was found guilty of drug trafficking. On 26 June, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison.[68][69] One of his cellmates sharing the dormitory at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn is Sam Bankman-Fried. He also shared the dormitory with American rapper 6ix9ine (aka Tekashi69). Another inmate is Genaro García Luna who served as the Secretary of Public Security of Mexico during the administration of Felipe Calderón from 2006 to 2012.[70]
In November 2025, days before the Honduran general election, President Donald Trump announced that he would pardon Hernández and endorsed Nasry Asfura, the candidate from his party.[71]
President Trump and his top aides have said that drug cartels present one of the most pressing dangers to the United States, and have promised to eradicate them from the Western Hemisphere.
As part of that effort, Mr. Trump signaled on Saturday that he was ratcheting up his campaign against drug cartels, saying in a social media post that airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Less than 24 hours earlier, Mr. Trump had announced on social media that he was granting a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, a former president of Honduras who had been convicted in the United States of drug trafficking charges in what was seen as a major victory for authorities in a case against a former head of state. That pardon has not yet been officially granted.
The two posts displayed a remarkable dissonance in the president’s strategy, as he moved to escalate a military campaign against drug trafficking while ordering the release of a man prosecutors said had taken “cocaine-fueled bribes” from cartels and “protected their drugs with the full power and strength of the state — military, police and justice system.” In fact, prosecutors said that Mr. Hernández, for years, allowed bricks of cocaine from Venezuela to flow through Honduras en route to the United States.
When do people start getting outraged over Chump's pardons? Chump is an illegal embarrassment who should be kicked out of office due to his dementia alone. He's incapable of ruling. Pete Hegseth was never qualified to be the Secretary of Defense. Once wrongly confirmed, he then revealed war plans in texts -- unsecure texts. And he should have been fired for that. But Chump is asleep at the wheel so Hegseth has remained in his post and now appears to have committed a War Crime. Michael Gold (NEW YORK TIMES) reports:
A top Republican and Democrats in Congress suggested on Sunday that American military officials might have committed a war crime in President Trump’s offensive against boats in the Caribbean after a news report said that during one such attack, a follow-up strike was ordered to kill survivors.
The remarks came in response to a Washington Post report on Friday that said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given a verbal order to kill everyone aboard boats suspected of smuggling drugs, and that this led a military commander to carry out a second strike to kill those who had initially survived an attack in early September.
“Obviously if that occurred, that would be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Representative Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio and a former chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said on “Face the Nation” on CBS.
Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, said on CBS that if the report was accurate, the attack “rises to the level of a war crime.” And on CNN, when asked if he believed a second strike to kill survivors constituted a war crime, Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, answered, “It seems to.”
How bad is it? Hegseth hasn't Tweeted himself today. He's just reposted other people's Tweets for the last 24 hours. Running scared. Travis Gettys (RAW STORY) reports:
President Donald Trump seemingly distanced himself from the latest controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The self-styled secretary of war reportedly ordered a second missile strike on two alleged smugglers who survived an attack on a boat administration officials say was carrying drugs from Venezuela to the U.S., and many military and legal experts say Hegseth's "no quarter" order violated international and U.S. laws.
"I don’t know that that happened and Pete said he did not want them, even know what people were talking about, so we'll look in –we'll look into it," Trump told reporters. "But no, I wouldn’t have wanted a second strike. The first strike was very lethal, it was fine, and if there were two people around, but Pete said that didn't happen. I have great confidence."
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, joined with Democratic lawmakers in condemning Hegseth's alleged "kill everyone" follow-on order as illegal, and social media users highlighted Trump's comments as a significant break from his frequently embattled Pentagon chief.
"Pete Hegseth, you in danger, girl," warned X user Keith Edwards.
"Trump beginning the process of throwing Hegseth under the bus," noted former Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus.
And Pete is in danger right now. You know it by the fact that he's been forced to stop attacking Mark Kelly. In fact, except for reposts, his Twitter feed has been silent since late Friday except for reposts. He's been struggling as he transfers from national joke to War Criminal. Nick Mordowanec (MILITARY.COM) explains:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, following the first striking of a boat in the Caribbean in September, issued a verbal directive to U.S. service members to "kill everybody" with a second strike that would leave no survivors, according to a new report from the Washington Post. The secretary strongly refutes such claims.
The Post reported that the second strike was conducted at Hegseth’s discretion and carried out by the counterterror group SEAL Team 6 after two survivors of a vessel allegedly carrying narcotics were spotted. The vessel originally held 11 individuals before it was struck by a missile off the coast of Trinidad.
“The order was to kill everybody,” one of two people with direct knowledge of the operation told the Post.
William Spivey (MEDIUM) does a deep-dive into fake ass Hegseth:
Pete Hegseth is an actor as well. He has acted his way through life. As a Fox News host, he positioned himself as a defender of “ordinary Americans” against elites, often framing his commentary in terms of patriotism, faith, and traditional values. He leaned into a confrontational approach, attacking “woke culture,” liberal politicians, and mainstream media.
His segments often featured sharp one‑liners and emotional appeals rather than policy nuance. Hegseth frequently criticized government bureaucracy, higher education, and even military leadership when he felt they embraced diversity or progressive reforms. Hegseth gave the people what they wanted, rather than having strong ideals of his own.
Hegseth pretended to be a strong Christian and a good husband, failing at both. Hegseth admitted to having five affairs during his first marriage. He told his wife he was a “f — -ed up individual.” Five was likely the number he was comfortable saying out loud rather than the real, higher number. Hegseth cheated on his second wife with Fox producer Jennifer Rauchet, who later became his third wife.
Hegseth has faced accusations of sexual harassment and even assault, though he denies them. These allegations stand in stark contrast to the Christian values of respect and integrity he claims to uphold.
On Fox News, Hegseth built his brand around Christian family values, patriotism, and faith. Critics argue his personal scandals — adultery, drinking, and misconduct — undermine the credibility of that persona.
Pete Hegseth has faced multiple allegations and documented incidents of alcohol abuse, including drinking on the job at Fox News, being forced out of veterans’ advocacy groups due to intoxicated behavior, and involvement in a sexual assault investigation where witnesses described him as visibly drunk.
Reports highlight at least five separate instances over three years where Hegseth appeared with alcohol on the job at Fox News, sometimes visibly drinking during segments. When undergoing Senate confirmation, Hegseth made the unusual promise that he wouldn’t drink if given the job of Defense Secretary.
Once given the job, Hegseth quickly discovered what most already knew: he was unqualified for it. Pete Hegseth’s early tenure as Secretary of Defense in 2025 has been marked by several high‑profile missteps, ranging from operational blunders to political controversies. These incidents have fueled criticism that he was unprepared for the role.
In March 2025, Hegseth mistakenly sent classified military details via Signal chat, raising alarms about his judgment and operational security. Even Trump allies began questioning his competence. Hegseth followed his boss's example and lied his way through. He claimed the information wasn’t classified, even though it contained details of a military operation yet to take place. Hegseth constantly has to prove to others he belongs, all the while knowing he’s acting.
Pete's never been qualified for anything. He's shamed his own family and then had to beg Mommy to defend him so he could be named Secretary of Defense. That is his title and the Dept's title is the Defense Dept. But he's a little kid who play acts and so he calls himself "Secretary of War." And, sadly, some indulge the spoiled rotten child ensuring that he will never learn. Poor Pete. He thought things were bad on Wednesday when SOUTHPARK mocked him.
Poor Pete. Mike Bedigan (INDEPENDENT) reports:
Senators from both sides of the political aisle will join forces to investigate allegations that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered there to be no survivors in U.S. airstrikes on alleged drug-running boats.
GOP Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Democratic Senator Jack Reed announced the decision in a joint statement Saturday.
"The Committee is aware of recent news reports and the Department of Defense’s initial response — regarding alleged follow-on strikes on suspected narcotics vessels in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” the statement read.
“The Committee has directed inquiries to the Department, and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”
It comes following a report from The Washington Post, which alleged that Hegseth had ordered military personnel to “kill everybody” on board a vessel in the Caribbean, suspected of carrying drugs, on September 2.
Raquel Coronell Uribe (NBC NEWS) adds:
Hegseth posted on X Friday evening that the strikes were intended to be “lethal, kinetic strikes.”
“The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Hegseth wrote.
“Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,” he added.
The committees’ statements come amid President Donald Trump’s administration mounting pressure on Venezuela, as Trump weighs military action against the country following nearly two dozen known strikes on vessels in the region, which have killed at least 82 people. Trump on Saturday morning said Venezuela’s airspace should be considered “closed.”
He posted an admission -- which can be used against him -- on social media. SOUTHPARK really got his social media addicting right. José Olivares (GUARDIAN) notes, "Internally, Department of Defense officials have been quietly raising concern about the boat strikes. A senior military lawyer disagreed with the Trump administration that the strikes are lawful and was later sidelined by other officials, NBC reported. And Adm Alvin Holsey, the commander overseeing the attacks against boat strikes, stepped down in October. Although the reason behind Holsey’s departure is unknown, the New York Times reported he had raised internal concerns about the attacks on the boats." This is a bad time for Pete. Even THE NATIONAL REVIEW isn't defending him. Today, the conservative publication posted a column by Jeffrey Blehar on the topic:
I’m no military expert, but this affair strikes me as an outright violation of all accepted norms of warfare. The mission had been accomplished: Whatever cargo that boat happened to be smuggling was no longer in any danger of reaching America. The survivors, clinging to a broken boat in the ocean, are a classic case of hors de combat — they’re out of the game, which means they have protected status under the Geneva Conventions. Even if you consider them “terrorists,” or so-called “unlawful combatants,” you are still forbidden from wantonly killing them once they’ve been incapacitated. (“Kill them all or they’ll just try again later” is a barbaric moral logic recognized nowhere in the civilized world except, seemingly, on Twitter.)
Beyond that, the sheer viciousness of it — a command to offer no quarter — shames the name and reputation of the U.S. Armed Services. You know what this reminds me most of? The Japanese Navy machine-gunning American boys as they floated in the waters of the Pacific during World War II. If you can explain the moral difference to me without reverting to the repulsive logic of immoral regimes, then please try.
But again, I am not an expert on the rules of military engagement. I will leave that to others who are, such as Jack Goldsmith, who points out that Section 5.4.7 of the Department of Defense’s own Law of War Manual, states rather clearly a “Prohibition Against Declaring That No Quarter Be Given”:
It is forbidden to declare that no quarter will be given. This means that it is prohibited to order that legitimate offers of surrender will be refused or that detainees, such as unprivileged belligerents, will be summarily executed. Moreover, it is also prohibited to conduct hostilities on the basis that there shall be no survivors, or to threaten the adversary with the denial of quarter. This rule is based on both humanitarian and military considerations. This rule also applies during non-international armed conflict.
I would get more upset about this if I weren’t so despairingly convinced that nothing will come of it, and Pete Hegseth will not be made to answer for this. As for the political fallout? I assume Trump will take a hit among what remaining Independents still cleave to his administration — Gallup just put him at a 36 percent job approval recently, about which much more on Tuesday — but his partisans are truly dug in. I have already seen Trump’s most dedicated fanatics not only wave this off but cheer it, and actively sneer at those of us who raise deep concern about the judgment of the man running the Pentagon. Even worse, they begin to make degraded moral arguments, the true sign of how the Trump era has rotted humane political sensibility: “Who cares about some drug smugglers? Are you on the side of the monsters ruining Appalachia with fentanyl?” Well no, as it turns out I am not, nor do I think we should be rocketing boats out of the water on the farcical pretext that they are “terrorists” the same way al-Qaeda and Hamas are.
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