Tortilla Soup

Okay, this is a must make recipe if there ever was one. Carolyn McFarland is a bridge friend from Whittier (and who, by the way is the best cook I know . . . and I know lots of them). Anyway, she gave me this recipe a few years ago and I promptly put it in the cupboard alongside several other recipes I had on a recipe card. Out of sight, out of mind . . . until yesterday when I cleaned out the cupboard. Chicken soup was on the menu this week so I decided to put this one to the test. It's a knock-out if there ever was one!!!

NOTE: The chili powder you use makes a big difference in the outcome. Some chili powders are more potent than others. Gerhardt is a good choice. McCormick's is too spicy, so you may have to alter the amount you use.

4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1  large  onion, chopped
6  corn tortillas, cut in 1/2" squares
6  cloves  garlic, chopped
2 - 3 Tbs oil
2  qts  chicken broth
1  can  (28 oz)  chopped tomatoes
1  can  (7 oz)  chopped Ortega chilies
1  bag  (16 oz)  frozen corn (I like white corn)
1  Tbs  cumin
2  Tbs  chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings:
Chopped green onions
Grated pepper jack cheese
Chopped fresh chilies, optional
Cilantro
Flour tortillas (cut into 1/8" strips and fry in oil until crisp)


Poach the chicken breasts in water until just done. Try not to over-cook them, as it dries them out (and they will cook another 20 minutes later). Drain, cut into chunks and set aside.

Saute onion in oil until tender, but not browned. Add garlic and corn tortilla squares. Saute briefly. Add chicken broth, chopped tomatoes, Ortega chilies, frozen corn, chicken chunks, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Simmer about 20 minutes. Top with the toppings and serve.

We didn't serve fresh chopped chilies, as we used pepper jack cheese. The recipe just called for chopped cheese, not specifying any particular kind. But the pepper jack was just perfect.