Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
It seems like I haven't been cooking much lately... and I miss it! So we decided to try a new recipe last night & it was yummy!

Chicken: (This step can be done the night before/in advance) I used all of the meat from a ~3lb whole chicken. Place chicken in a 13x9 glass pan, season with salt & pepper, cover pan with foil, & roast @425 for 1.5 hours. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat, & shred using a fork or your hands.

3 T. butter

DICE ALL:
1 poblano pepper (good size)
1 jalapeno pepper (large with seeds removed)
1 red pepper (good size)
1 yellow pepper (good size)
1 yellow onion
5-6 Roma tomatoes

Other Ingredients:
6 cloves of garlic (pressed or finely chopped)
2 T. tomato paste
Chili powder (1-2 Tablespoons)
Ground cumin (2-3 tsp.)
Oregano (1-2 tsp.)
8 cups of chicken stock
Salt & Pepper
Toppings - See Below!

-Heat butter in large pot & then saute peppers, onions, & tomatoes really well. Add garlic towards the end of sauteing & cook a little more. Add tomato paste, spices, & chicken stock. Simmer for awhile, then add shredded chicken. Season with salt & pepper.

For Serving: Put some chopped avocado & shredded cheddar/jack cheese in the bottom of an individual serving bowl. Ladle soup on top. Top with your choice of toppings. Here are some ideas... Chopped cilantro, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, corn, chopped avocado, & tortilla strips (homemade or crumble store-bought ones).

Homemade Tortilla Strips: (Made these for the first time last night. Super easy & really good!)
Cut corn tortillas into thin strips & fry in olive oil until crispy. Remove from oil to a paper-towel covered plate. Add salt while the strips are still hot.

Additional Serving Ideas: corn bread/muffins, quesadillas, or corn on the cob.

*Here's the bowls I have... LOVE them for serving soups, chili, etc. Just $3.95 from Crate & Barrel!

Recipe courtesy of Anita Hart.

Tortilla Soup