There's really nothing quite comforting as a bowl of steaming soup on a cold evening. And this tortilla soup satisfies on so many levels ... the warmth of spices, the flavours, a bit of crunch from the tortilla chips against with the tender beans, the hot and steaming chicken cubes against the cool avocado and sour cream. So much going on ... it's amazing. And delicious. And you should be making this for dinner tonight!




I like it hot, temperature-wise and spice-wise, the liberal sprinkling of crushed chili flakes are a tell-tale sign ;) And yes, I actually use the tortilla chips to scoop the soup into my mouth, that's why there are so so many of them. LOL!

This recipe serves 4 as a main dish, or 6-8 as a side dish.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1000 ml (4 cups) chicken broth
750 ml (3 cups) diced tomato and its juices
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen, but unsweetened)
1 cup chopped bell peppers
2 cups cooked black beans
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

To serve:
Tortilla chips
Avocado cubes
Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Green onions, sliced
Sour cream
Cilantro sprigs

Directions:
1. In a heavy bottomed pan, sauteé the onions and garlic with the olive oil until translucent.
2. Add the broth, tomato, chili powder and oregano and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes for the flavours to develop.
4. Add the chicken, corn, bell peppers, and beans and bring to a boil again.
5. Taste, and season with salt and more chili powder accordingly.
6. Stir in the chopped cilantro, turn off the heat, and ladle into bowls.
7. Top with grated cheese, chips, avocado, green onions and a dollop of sour cream.