FAMILY FAVORITES / Tortilla Soup

Last year, Fall of 2007, I became obsessed with Tortilla Soup. I probably made it every week. It’s delicious, nutritious, makes enough to feed my family 3 meals, fun to put toppings on (everyone is happy with their own little creation), smells good, and the list goes on. I ordered it at every Mexican restaurant I went to last Fall and Winter, but this recipe is the BEST!

1 T. canola oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
/2 tsp. red chili flakes
8 cups chicken broth
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
juice of 1 lime
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: avocado, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, salsa, tortilla chips (store bought or homemade!)

1) Cut 2 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken breast &/or thigh into 1/4? strips. Cut a lime in half. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lime over the chicken. Set other half lime aside for later. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt and crush 2 cloves of garlic onto the chicken. Mix all well together in bowl and set aside.

2) Heat 1 T. canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Add 6 cloves crushed garlic, 1 T. salt, 1 t. cumin and 1/2 t. red chili flakes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3) Add 8 c. chicken broth, can diced tomatoes and the juice of half of the lime you set aside in step 1. Increase heat to a gentle simmer and cook 20 minutes.

4) Puree soup in batches in a blender. Return soup to pot and resume simmering. Add the chicken that has been marinating in the lime juice. Simmer 5 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in 1 c. cilantro.

5) Serve with toppings of your choice — this is the fun part! — avocado, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, fresh diced tomatoes, lime wedges, salsa, tortilla chips (store bought or homemade!)

Optional: 1 package small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips. You’ll only need these if you’re making homemade tortilla strips. To save time, store bought tortilla chips work great too!
Note: To make homemade tortillas strips, pour 1 in. of vegetable oil into a frying pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add one-third of the tortillas strips and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a paper towel-lined baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips in tow batches. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt.