Tortilla Soup

Ok so today I decided to try out a recipe for tortilla soup that I got from my friend Lindsey.  So my photography skills aren't really the best (either is my food presentation) but this is more or less what my soup looked like when I served it.  This recipe was really pretty easy and only took maybe a little over an hour for me to prepare the whole thing.

.

I started by putting 2-3 tablespoons of canola oil into a large pot with one chopped onion.  I let that simmer until it became translucent .  I chopped up two cloves of garlic and two jalapenos.  With the jalapenos I made sure to get all of the seeds out because man those are hot!  Anyway I added the jalapenos and garlic to the onions in the pot and let that simmer for about three minutes. After that it's just a matter of getting the rest of the ingredients added and bringing it to a boil.  I added one can of drained corn, a can of drained black beans, and a can of diced tomatoes (with the juice).  I then added a 49 oz can of chicken broth (low sodium).  Actually when I finished the soup I wished I had put in more broth so I think next time I'll add an extra 14.5 oz can. After this I chopped up about half a bundle of cilantro.  Really the amount of cilantro you put in depends on how much you like the flavor.  I then added some red pepper, garlic salt, and of course salt and pepper.  While I was cooking I kept adding more of each seasoning until it tasted just right.  I squeezed in one and half limes right before I put the chicken in.  After the soup started to boil I put the chicken in (the whole breasts).  For the chicken I put in 1.5 lbs, which honestly was kinda a lot of chicken. so if you want a lot of chicken go for it.  So after I put in the chicken i left it simmer for about 30.  I then individually pulled out the breasts and shredded them with two forks.  I just stuck the two forks in and started pulling them in separate directions.  I did this with all three of the breast and put them back in.  I then tested the broth an made sure the seasonings were to my liking...and luckily I didn't over season anything!  To serve I put the soup in a bowl crushed some tortilla chips into it, sprinkled some monterey jack cheese on, put a couple slices of avocado and a dollop of sour cream.  I absolutely loved this recipe.  I actually added more red pepper to my individual bowl because I like a little extra heat.  Overall everyone loved it and felt satisfied after two bowls.  The best part is that this soup is extremely healthy so you don't have to worry about that heavy greasy feeling in your tummy.  Anyway here is a list of the ingredients and I hope it turns out as well as mine did!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (lower sodium)

1 can corn (lower sodium)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 49 oz can of chicken broth (I would get an extra 14.5 oz can)

2 jalapenos

2 cloves of garlic

Olive Oil

1 onion

1 bunch cilantro (I used only half)

2 limes

salt/pepper to taste

cayenne pepper (red pepper) to taste be careful it can get pretty hot really quick!

garlic salt to taste

boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 1-1.5 lbs)