Shelly's Recipe

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Category: Soups

2 Tablespoons Canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 yellow corn tortillas
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 (15.5-ounce) can white hominy, drained
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 ounces Chihuahua cheese, grated (Monterey Jack can be substituted)
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Accompaniments
Black Bean Salsa (recipe follows)
Sour Cream
Lime wedges
Tortilla Chips

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the tortillas and sauté until softened. Add the tomatoes, chiles, spices, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil; remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then purée the soup base in batches using a hand held immersion blender or a stand blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot if using a stand blender.

Stir in the chicken, corn, hominy, and half-and-half. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat until it begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted. Add the lime juice and season with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with salsa, sour cream, and tortilla chips. Enjoy! makes 8 cups

Black Bean Salsa
makes 3 cups

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 large roasted red bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tablespoon Canola oil
Kosher salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, tossing well. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.