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Chicken Tortilla Soup With All The Fixin's

Source of Recipe

"The Old Farmer's Almanac Comfort Food" by Ken Haedrich


Recipe Introduction

"Don't skimp on the fixin's; they're half the fun."

List of Ingredients

Soup:
â—¦ 3 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ 1 large onion, chopped
â—¦ 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
â—¦ 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
â—¦ 2 teaspoons chili powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon cumin
â—¦ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
â—¦ 4 cups chicken stock
â—¦ 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
â—¦ 2 cans (15 ounces) diced tomatoes (chili-style, if possible), with juice
â—¦ 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or skinless thighs
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
â—¦ 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
â—¦ 3 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal
â—¦ 3 corn tortillas, cut in half, and then into thin strips

Fixin's:
â—¦ Diced ripe avocado
â—¦ Finely chopped red onion
â—¦ Chopped fresh Italian parsley
â—¦ Shredded Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese
â—¦ Broken tortilla chips
â—¦ Pickled jalapeño slices


Recipe

For soup:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 8 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute more, then add 2 cups of water plus the stock, corn, tomatoes with their juice, chicken and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the black beans and black pepper to the soup pot. Cut the chicken into thin, bite-size pieces and return to the soup.

Put the cornmeal into a small bowl and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water (more, if necessary), stirring to make a thick slurry. Add this to the soup and simmer, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the soup thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired. Just prior to serving, add the tortillas to the soup and stir. Serve, passing the fixin's at the table.

Makes 8 servings