Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sometimes schedules are meant to be thrown out the window and ignored, and with an unexpected visit from my mom and dad a couple of days ago, tossing our schedule is exactly what we did.  What a perfect choice we made!  A boring afternoon of errands was turned into a much more enjoyable afternoon of catching up, card games and Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Almost one of those "Norman Rockwell" moments, our family sat around the table playing Hearts and laughing at Liv's very sad face as she received the Queen of Spades for no less than the third time in a row.  Luckily, a special weekend soda returned her smile and we were off for a game of Sequence.  Liv and mom my proved that girls are most definitely winners as they beat my husband and dad time and again.  Contrary to the male popular opinion, no... they did not cheat!

Chopping onions and sautéing chicken I enjoyed the banter and laughter of my family.  Filled with aromatic spices, black beans and a hearty broth the soup is thickened perfectly with corn tortillas and then topped with my favorite goodies - sour cream, avocado, cilantro and a bright squeeze of lime.  Our bodies warmed by the soup and our hearts warmed with an afternoon of simply being together, we decided that soup is indeed good food.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 boneless breasts of chicken, cooked and shredded

1 Tbs oil
2 -3 corn tortillas, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped

1 jalapeño finely diced (optional)
3/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 - 3 cups chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
water to cover
diced avocado
sour cream
cheese (pepper jack, cheddar or any mexican melting cheeses)
green onions
cilantro
lime quarters
broken tortilla chips

Heat oil over medium/medium low heat in a large stock pot, add tortillas and onion.  Sauté for a few minutes and add the jalapeño, stirring frequently.  Add the garlic and spices (chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika), and cook for about a minute or until aromatic, stirring often.  Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans.  Add water to cover.  Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes and add the chicken.  Simmer 10 - 15 minutes more, or longer if desired adding water as necessary.  Salt if desired.


When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings, a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips!

We are submitting this soup to Kahakai Kitchen's Souper Sundays!!