Chicken Tortilla Soup

When I woke up this morning I was delighted to see a light dusting of snow on the ground. Not unusual for this time of year, but quite unusual for Austin, TX! So I knew it would be the perfect day to make my chicken tortilla soup. I developed this recipe to be made in the crock pot, but you can let it simmer slowly in a large pot on the stove if you wish. It's simple, hearty & full of flavor!


Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:



Start by seasoning 4 chicken thighs with salt & pepper and brown them in a large skillet over medium high heat.



Once browned, take the chicken out of the skillet & remove the skin from 3 of the pieces. Place into crock pot.
Add one medium onion (diced), 2 carrots (diced) and 2 cloves of garlic (minced) to the oil and sautée until tender.



Add that mixture to the crock pot along with a 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, a 15 oz. can of enchilada sauce, one diced jalapeño, 6 corn tortillas (cut into small pieces), a bay leaf, 1 TBSP chipotle powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp cumin, 4 cups of water and some salt & pepper. You may want to add more or less jalapeño or chipotle depending on how spicy you like your soup.



Stir, cover and set on high to cook for about 4 hours. Once the chicken is cooked remove from pot and pull chicken from the bone. Return meat to the soup and add one package of frozen corn and a can of black beans (rinsed & drained) to the pot. Cover and heat through.



I like to make my own tortilla strips to serve along with the soup. Simply cut corn tortillas into strips:



Then fry in hot oil (350ºF) until golden brown. Be sure to hit them with some salt while they're still hot too.



I garnish my soup with avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, crispy tortilla strips & a lime wedge. Mmmmmm....



Please let me know if you make this recipe and how it turns out for you.

cheers!
xo diane