Chicken Tortila Soup

It was ice storm day in East Tennessee and Bev had been wanting to make tortilla soup as Madison likes it and so do the rest of us.  She found a new recipe on food.com as well as one from the Pioneer Woman and basically used the first one with some additional ingredients from Ree, and adaptations of her own.

Chicken Tortilla Soup – adapted from food.com

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons canola oil

8 corn tortillas, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, diced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

4 jalapenos (pretty large), roasted, peeled, and seeded

1½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder (Larry’s homemade)

3 bay leaves

6 cups chicken stock (Homemade and richer than store bought)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cans black beans (15 oz) drained and rinsed

1 can corn (15 oz) drained
2 huge (Dolly sized) boneless chicken breast halves
Larry's chili powder
Adobo All Purpose Seasoning (Goya)

Garnishes:

Shredded monterey jack cheese

Diced avocado

Sour cream (optional)

2 corn tortillas, sliced and fried crisp (optional)

Diced cucumber

Directions:

1.  Remove the chicken from the bone and pound to about ¾“.

2.  Season with Larry’s chili powder and Adobo Seasoning

3.  Bake at 350* to an internal temp. of 160* and let cool enough to handle then cut into desired size (¼“ for Bev, bigger for me, shredded for others)

4.  In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.

5.  Add the tortillas, garlic, celery, cilantro and onion, cooking for 2-3 minutes.

6.  Add the tomatoes and jalapenos (can substitute Rotel), bringing to a boil.

7.  Add cumin, chili powder and bay leaves.

8.  Add chicken stock and return to a boil.

9.  Reduce heat, add salt and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

11 Remove bay leaves and stir in chicken, beans and corn and cook another 15 minutes.

12.Add to bowls and garnish with those you like.

My first bowl was out of the pot with a little shredded cheddar and some lettuce and cucumber left from tacos – the cukes provided a nice crunch.  Bev and I both thought it was very good but it needed the dairy to tone down the heat a little.  Using mild Rotel and adding the desired heat with powered cayenne or using less jalapenos are both ways to achieve a lower heat level.  For my second bowl, I began by slicing and frying some corn tortillas.

For garnishments, I added shredded Irish cheddar, a small dollop of sour cream, some diced cucumber, and the tortilla chips. 

After I stirred it up, mine looked like cream of tortilla soup and it was outstanding – maybe the best ever.

I'm now responding to your comments and hoping you will stop back by - photos best if enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

1/25/13 meal date