Chicken Tortilla Soup

The primary reason I started this blog was to catalog my tried and true recipes – those in my repertoire that I make with some frequency, but still can never quite seem to put my hands on when I have a craving for them.

This Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe may have been one of the first soups I ever made, and when I was learning to cook it was so satisfying to combine the ingredients and end up with this awesome creation. Now that I know how to cook, it is mostly just satisfying to eat – which of course, is not at all a bad thing – but it always brings back great memories from over the years, when this soup was shared with friends, or thrown together after an exhausting day, or simmered on a cold rainy night and sipped on the couch in front of catch-up DVR (like tonight).

It has all the hallmarks of a solid go-to soup recipe. It is an easy one – there is no blending involved; it is a healthy one – all fresh ingredients and no cream; and it is a comforting one – like most non-fussy soups are. And you can’t beat the bright colors for visual appeal!

Ingredients:
– 3 corn tortillas
– 1 sweet onion, diced
– 6 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 bunch of cilantro (about 1/4 c), chopped
– 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
– 4 – 8 c chicken broth or stock {it’s up to you, depending on the size of your pot and how thick you like your soup}
– 1 c canned or frozen corn
– 1 T cumin
– 1 T chili powder
– 4 bay leaves
– 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– 1/2 t cayenne pepper

How do I make it?

• Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. When warm, add extra virgin olive oil and saute the onion until is softens and starts to brown. Then add the garlic and cook until it starts to brown and smell fragrant. Tear or chop 3 corn tortillas into bite size pieces and add to the pot.
• Add the chopped cilantro and add it to the pot {reserve a bit to serve with the completed soup}. Then add the tomatoes with their juice, and the chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and add the corn, whole chicken breasts, and cayenne.
• Simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts and put aside to cool.
• Once the chicken is cool, shred it with two forks, or chop it into small pieces, and return it to the soup pot.
• Serving suggestions: fried tortilla strips, diced avocado, additional cilantro.

Adapted from: I first found this recipe almost 7 years ago, predating the following link, but it is word for word from the pdf I have saved on my computer … http://reluctantgourmet.com/education/culinary-career-path/item/135-tortilla-soup-recipe