Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is a classic. Bold flavors, rich nourishing broth and an endless variety of fun garnishes. For a richer broth use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs but still delicious with skinless, boneless thighs. This is the soup to get you through the transition from summer to fall with its bright lime zing and spicy notes. A fun soup to share with friends and family, make a big pot, lay out the garnishes, and let everyone customize their bowl!

Ingredients

-3 carrots, peeled and chopped

-1 onion, chopped

-4 ribs celery, chopped

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1tsp salt

-1 tbsp chili powder

-2 tsp cumin

-1 tsp coriander

-1 tbsp oregano

-4 cloves garlic

-1 jar/can of crushed tomatoes

-1 quart chicken stock

-1 pound chicken thighs (use skin-on, bone-in for richer broth)

-2-3 peppers (can be bell peppers or a mix), deseeded and sliced

-1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

-Juice of 1 lime

-½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Optional Garnishes

-Tortilla chips

-Sour cream

-Avocado

-Cilantro

-Green onion

-Fried egg

-Hot sauce

Instructions

-Heat dutch oven or soup pot to medium, add oil

-Add carrots, onions, and celery to the pot, cook until soft, about 5 minutes

-Add salt, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chopped garlic to the pot for 30 seconds or until fragrant

-Add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot

-Add chicken thighs and bring to a boil

-Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 40 minutes (boneless chicken can be simmered for 30 minutes)

-Take chicken thighs out to cool

-Add peppers and beans to the pot, simmer on low for 10 minutes

-Turn off heat and add lime juice and cilantro

-Shred chicken and add to soup

-Check and add seasoning to taste

-Garnish with any of the above options!