Chicken Tortilla Soup: The Magical Soup

Who doesn't just LOVE Mexican food?  

I first had this soup over Christmas break at my girl friend's home.  We decided to walk to the store to get the ingredients (walking to the grocery store- Portland style).  You know... burn the calories before consumption.  Makes for much more enjoyable eating.

Back-packs and all, we walked all our treasures home and got the soup going.  I was a fan at first bite.  Got the recipe from her mother in law later on and have recreated it a few times since.  I've changed a few things around and it continues to get better and better each time.

It's magical soup because each time I make it, I forget all the ingredients that go into it and have twice now had to transfer it to a bigger pot!  It just multiplies as it cooks!  So go big or go home!  Get out your biggest pot!

Ingredients: 

Salt for seasoning throughout
2 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped

2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes

2 cloves garlic
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 roasted chicken, meat shredded

2 medium potatoes, diced
2 cups kidney beans

1 cup black beans
1-2 teaspoons Tapatio Hot Sauce
2 quart of chicken broth
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
cubed avocado

crushed tortilla chips
shredded jack cheese

You can use canned beans if you'd like.  I usually have bags of raw beans in the house- cheaper too.  Follow directions to cook.

Always weed out the "bad beans," they didn't make the cut for the magical soup.

You can use canned beans, but I usually have bagged beans around the house- plus they are cheaper.  Prepare as directed on bag.

I LOVE bell peppers.  Just look at these beauts!  Chop em up and add with onions.

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil for 5 minutes.

The fire-roasted is a must.

Rarely does a favorite recipe not include this beautiful flower: GARLIC.

Bubbly bubbly.  Yummy yummy.  A minute or two.

You could use about 4 chicken breasts, but the already roasted chicken is just so easy.  Last time I made this, I used to carcass to make the broth for the next time I needed broth (i.e. this time).

Add in your 2 quarts of broth (8 cups) along with all your beans.

Then add your Tapitio.  Depending on your company, you can add as much as you want.  About a teaspoon gives a pleasant underlying heat.  But I always say less is more than put the bottle on the table for those crazies that belly up to the table.

If you used canned beans, you can add the potatoes and corn and cook about 10-20 minutes- ready to serve.  If your beans need more cook time, then cook for about 40 or so to soften the beans.  Add the diced potatoes and corn in the last 20 minutes.

Have you ever dropped a utensil in?  Oops.  Good thing I'm not a surgeon.  Cooking is much more forgiving.

Add any salt needed.

The final step is (in order) avocado, jack cheese and crushed tortilla chips.  The avocado goes in right at the end, but is SOOOO key (#1 because it's pretty, and #2 it adds such a nice creamy factor).  Then the cheese starts to melt, and the chips give it a little crunch.

This is just a classic bowl of goodness.  It's fresh mex at it's finest.  Nothing crazy.  Nothing you haven't heard of.  It's about doing it well and enjoying it slowly.

Thank you Terry and Ariana Coburn.  Love you ladies.