Chicken Tortilla Soup

So...our fridge is STILL out of commission.  Having everything crammed into the outside fridge and a cooler has made cooking much more difficult.  It was raining and thundering all day, so instead of my usual craving for grilled food, I was wanting something more comforting, like a soup.  I found another new blog, and she's famous to boot I think.  Pioneer Woman?  I had heard the name but didn't know much about her.  But as I browsed through her recipes, I realized how much I liked her style of cooking.  My hope was to find a recipe for which I had most of the ingredients and that sounded good, and thankfully I found it.

Here is the link to her recipe, and below is how I adapted it, mainly based on what we had on hand and the amount of time I had!  And I bet it would hold its own without the chicken if you are vegetarian!

Chicken Tortilla Soup                             

Ingredients

2 whole  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

1-½ teaspoon  Cumin

1 teaspoon  Chili Powder

½ teaspoons  Garlic Powder

                 ½ teaspoons  Salt

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

2 cups of frozen tri pepper and onion mix, diced

3 cloves  Garlic, Minced

1 can  (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies

16 ounces, fluid  Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoons  Tomato Paste

4 cups  Hot Water 

1 can  (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

1 can corn with peppers, drained

3 Tablespoons  Cornmeal Or Masa

5 whole  Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

 FOR THE GARNISHES: Sour Cream

Diced Avocado

Diced Red Onion

Salsa Or Pico De Gallo

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

        Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. While the chicken was cooking, I heated 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. I added in the pepper and onion mix and garlic.  I am all for fresh veggies, but it is nice to have a bag of these frozen goodies on hand for times when you are in a pinch.  I bet if I didn't tell you I used frozen, you wouldn't have known!

Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Add in the chicken when it is finished, shredding it into the soup.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer.  Check seasonings, adding more if needed— add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.  I also cooked a few tortillas in oil and crumbled on top of the soup.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

    I didn't have the 45 minutes to initially simmer with an additional 30 minutes, so I probably simmered for a total of 30 minutes or so - some while the chicken was cooking in the oven, and some with the chicken in there.  It is such a flavorful soup, I don't think it mattered, and I think it will be even better for lunch today!