Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here is a delicious recipe for Chicken Tortilla soup from one of my very favorite people.  My Aunt Cyndee is a great cook.  She is especially adept at Mexican cooking, so when she gave me this recipe in a cookbook filled with some of her favorites, I knew I had to try it.  I already have this recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup on this blog (eerily posted almost one year ago to the day), but they are really so different that they can hardly be called the same soup.  This one is a little bit more work, but still easy enough for a weeknight meal.  Plus it was DELICIOUS!  I was going to skip on frying my own corn tortilla strips and I am SO glad I didn't.  The freshly-fried tortilla strips and the avocado really make this soup something special.  My middle son even had 3rds, so it is relatively kid-friendly!!!  I also doubled the tortilla strips and they ALL got eaten.

Oh, please excuse my blog.  I am in the process of changing it up a bit.  Please give me your opinion on the current background.  Is it too depressing?  I thought it was cool (but it does border on depressing I think- especially for those of us in bleak, cold ND right now).  Give me your thoughts!

Here is what you will need to get started.  Except for the crushed red peppers...pretend they are peppercorns in a pepper grinder, K?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 tsp. minced garlic (I LOVE garlic, so I added about 1/2 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp. butter

32 oz. low-sodium chicken broth

16 oz. Salsa (I use my own homemade)

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken breasts (I like to boil mine while I am chopping and sauteing vegetables)

1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper (I used 1 whole)

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

2 bay leaves

1/2 c. Canola oil

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2" pieces

Kosher Salt (to lightly sprinkle on hot, cooked tortillas, optional)

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

In Dutch oven, cook onion and garlic in butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.  Add chicken broth, salsa, shredded chicken, bell pepper, pepper, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Cover; reduce heat to low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot.  Fry tortilla strips in oil until light golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper-towel lined plate to soak up excess oil.  Sprinkle a bit of kosher salt on, if desired.  

Ladle soup into bowls and top with avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips.  

Enjoy!

Source: Aunt Cyndee