Haphazard Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been downing soup like no other this month, and thought it might be time to share my chicken tortilla recipe with you. It is delicious, easy and can be relatively healthy (if you don't cover it in cheese and fried tortilla strips like I do).

Do I have any photos to share of said delicious soup? Of course not! But I hate a post without a photo, so I snagged one from The Pioneer Woman, a cooking blog I return to every Super Bowl for this horribly white trash and drool inducing recipe. OH MA GAWD, is it good!

Just like every recipe I've recommended so far, you can totally alter this to your liking. It's soup, for goodness sake, which means (for those of you who don't cook often) it is hard to screw up. So if you feel like black beans, corn, fresh jalapenos or any other ingredient I don't mention, have at it!

Elizabeth's Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 lb. organic free range chicken breasts (feel free to get more chicken if you like)
6 cups (or more if you prefer) chicken broth
Juice of 3 limes
Two 14 oz cans of tomatoes and chilis
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Chili powder, cumin, paprika
Canola oil
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
Corn tortillas, cut in small strips
Pepper jack cheese, finely shredded
Avocado, diced
Tortilla Land flour tortillas

Pour chicken broth into a smallish pot and add chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to medium low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.

In a larger soup pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook until translucent. Next, add broth from small pot, then lime juice, canned tomatoes and half the chopped cilantro. Throw in some of the spices (I do about a teaspoon to a tablespoon depending on the spice. Smell them first... If you like the scent, add a little more). Simmer for a bit.

Add shredded chicken and continue to cook until soup is hot. Throw in the rest of the cilantro, then add salt to taste. Don't be afraid of salt! It is your friend. Keep adding until the flavor is working for you.

While soup is cooking, heat canola oil on medium high in a pan (I prefer cast iron because if I overheat the oil on accident, it's not a total pain to clean up when I'm done, and it actually helps season the pan a bit). Add corn tortilla strips in a single layer (i.e. they shouldn't be overlapping) and make sure they sizzle when you add them to the pan, otherwise the oil isn't hot enough and they may not crisp the way you want them to. Fry until golden brown, then place on plate with paper towel so the excess oil can drain off.

Pour soup in bowl, top with cheese, avocado and corn tortilla strips, and serve with freshly heated Tortilla Land flour tortillas and more lime wedges if you have an acidic palate like I do. I just can't say no to extra citrus.

Nom, nom, nom, so yummy!