Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hi!

Long time no blog...but no worries, I've been cooking a lot!  Just slacking in the blogging department.  Have no fear, I've decided I'm going to post every day in December :-)   More on that in a post coming soon!

Anyway, the soup.  Inevitably, when fall rolls around and slowly creeps into winter, I make soup.  Almost every Sunday.  Why?  Well, for starters, what other day of the week do I have time to simmer?  I can handle the chopping, the mid week sauteeing, even baking, but simmering?  That takes, like, an hour!  And this girl comes home from work hungry!   So Sundays it is - the day to explore new recipes, to plan ahead, to start cooking dinner at 4 p.m.  Ahhh, does it get any better?

This recipe comes from a famous Atlanta restaurant, Souper Jenny.  The story behind this restaurant is truly inspiring - the owner, Jenny, was an aspiring actress waiting tables in California who realized she liked food better than acting.  Who can blame her?  Fast forward several years (you'll have to buy the cookbook to read the full story!) she opened an adorable restaurant in Buckhead, serving amazing soup, sandwiches, salad, bread, and cookies.   The menu changes every day, which is part of the fun.  I love to meet girlfriends there for lunch but really don't get there too often.  My mother in law is also a fan of the restaurant (what Atlanta mom isn't!?) and got me the cookbook for Christmas a few years ago, and since then I've loved trying out Jenny's amazing recipes.  It's my personal mission this winter to cook pretty much everything in the book, so stay tuned!

This chicken tortilla soup is pretty much the best version I've ever had.  It actually calls for a rotisserie chicken, shredded.  I've done this before, which I think adds a nice flavor, but this time I took the less expensive, more sustainable route and used 2 organic chicken breasts, seasoned with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning and baked for 30 minutes at 375.  Either way works fine.

This soup is delicious and even better the next day.  Top it with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro.  Don't forget the hot sauce!

Souper Jenny's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe Source: Souper Jenny

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 medium bag tortilla chips (I used the Food Should Taste Good brand - they're awesome!)

2 chicken breasts, baked and shredded, or 1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded

8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Put the onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, chicken broth, and chili powder in a large stock pot and boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes.  Add the chips (crush first) and simmer for 20 more minutes, until they are blended in with the soup.  Add the chicken and stir.  Turn heat low and add the cheese, stir.  

Serve the soup in bowls and top with cilantro.  Add hot sauce if you want!