Chicken Tortilla Extravaganza Soup

I haven't always been a fan of tortilla soups. This soup had such rave reviews and is such a departure from our usual entrees that I had to give it a shot. This recipe makes a pretty thick soup. Use more liquid if you desire a a thinner soup.


Yummy, onion-y, spicy goodness. Doesn't that make your mouth just water??



The final product.


Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza
From: This Week for Dinner

Yield: 8 servings

- 1 onion, finely chopped
- olive oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 can corn
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips --> used half a tortilla per person
- 1 avocado, diced
- cayenne pepper --> used a 5 drops of cayenne pepper sauce
- chili powder --> 1/2 tsp
- cumin --> 1/2 tsp
- salt and pepper
- cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream

Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, green onions, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.

Grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You can also pan-fry it, but it won’t add the smokiness that the bbq does).
--> I roasted the chicken breast with only salt & pepper on it.

Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup. Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado.
--> We aren't a "cilantro household." So, we omitted.

In large fry pan over medium-high heat, crisp up tortilla strips. Add salt. You may do this with oil or cooking spray. (For a shortcut, use tortilla chips instead).
--> You have to cut them really, really thin to get the same consistency as the restaurant strips.
--> I used cooking spray. Cooked 'em ~3min per side for a satisfying crispiness.

Serve soup garnished with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.