Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe off a blog sometime last year, but it looks like they've moved servers and not transferred over their old posts. I guess that means I get to type it up myself!

The weather cooled off enough this week to make me want to stir up some soup. When I asked my husband he requested a repeat of this Chicken Tortilla Soup. We tried to get some friends over to share in the bounty, but no such luck. Oh well, my sweet husband was appreciative and we'll have leftovers for the next decade or so. :)

This recipe is actually pretty speedy. You can cook up the chicken in advance. The most time consuming part is all the vegetable chopping and shredding the chicken. I talked my husband into shredding the chicken while he watched TV--meanwhile I did the rest.

Saute up some onions, red & green bell peppers, and spices in a dutch oven with a little olive oil.

Mix in a little tomato paste, a can of Rotel, and couple of boxes of chicken broth.

Look at that expert shredding job! The chicken is really well seasoned before cooking, which just adds to all the spicy good flavors in the soup.

Mmm mmm mmm... look at all that chicken!

Some frozen corn and corn tortillas add to the flavor. Once you simmer for 10-15 minutes, the tortillas dissolve and thicken the soup.

Ready to eat!

Served up with some fresh shredded cheddar and tortilla chips. Delicious!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

For the chicken:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Ground cumin
Salt & Pepper

For the soup:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 can Rotel
2 (32 oz) boxes chicken broth
8-10 corn tortillas, sliced into strips and then cut in half
1 cup frozen corn


To cook the chicken:
Place chicken breasts on foil-lined baking sheet (I have a stone baker I used instead). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with chili powder, garlic powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Don't be shy with the spices--they'll just add to the flavor of the soup once you add in the chicken. Place in 400 degree oven. The original recipe said to cook 12-15 minutes; it took more like 30 minutes to cook mine all the way through because they were pretty seriously thick.


For the soup:
In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and seasonings. Drop the heat to medium and saute until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and mix into the vegetables. Add the Rotel and the broth and bring up to a boil. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and add it to the soup. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the corn and sliced tortillas. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. Cover and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.