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Today it snowed. What?! I generally welcome winter and holiday fair as soon as the weather gets cold. Stores putting out their Christmas trees and yard reindeer in October is fine by me. Bring it on! But for some reason snow in October is still something that seems preposterous to me. Shouldn’t snow be saved for December? I’m sure today is just a pre-winter fluke, but if not I will have to find a way to work snow boots into my little one’s lion Halloween costume.

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Luckily today I have a big bowl of this soup leftover from last night’s dinner. It is so flavorful, warm and comforting; not to mention healthy. A win-win-win in my book. I used Ina Garten’s recipe and tweeked it a little. You can’t go wrong with Ina’s recipes. She really is the best! Ina said that in France they often thicken soup with bread. Hence the popular tomato and bread soup. In this recipe she uses corn tortillas to thicken the soup which is just genius. The tortillas impart a sweet corn flavor to the broth and make it the perfect consistency. We love this soup at our house! It makes a ton and the leftovers freeze great.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 4-6

Comforting chicken tortilla soup with a flavorful broth thickened with sweet corn tortillas.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 cup chopped onions (1 onion)
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
  • 1 cups chopped carrots (2 carrots)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds/ribs removed and minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 14oz canned crushed tomatoes (you may have to use 1/2 of a 28ounce can of crushed tomatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 (6-inch) white corn tortillas, cut into strips
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Toppings: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, chili powder and salt. Add the chicken breast to the pot whole.
  3. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. Take the chicken out and shred. Add back to the soup with the cilantro. Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

To Make this Stove Top: Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, chili powder and salt. Add the chicken breast to the pot whole. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Take the chicken out and shred. Add back to the soup with the cilantro. Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy! !To make homemade tortilla strips:

https://meaningfuleats.com/chicken-tortilla-soup/

(recipe adapted from Ina Garten)