Chicken Tortilla Soup

I’m down to my last couple weeks of chilly soup nights here in Phoenix. I’m not trying to make you jealous, readers. Really, I’m not. You see, both I love soup. I feel like I could make soup two or three times a week and we’d be perfectly fine with it. But when it’s 115 degrees outside, nobody wants soup. Not even me (usually). So, you may be seeing quite a lot of soup around here for the next few weeks. Lucky for most of you, soup weather is still going strong.
 
Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Williams-Sonoma printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive or corn oil
1 medium red onion, chopped 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1-2 finely chopped chipotle chilies in adobo 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juices 1 1/2 c. shredded chicken
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/2 c. crumbled queso fresco or feta 1 small avocado, chopped 1 c. broken tortilla chips 1 lime, cut into wedgesDirections:1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. 2. Stir in the chili, broth, and tomatoes. Stir in the chicken and beans. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt and pepper as necessary.3. Stir cilantro into the soup. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle the additional cilantro on top, if desired. Garnish with the cheese, avocado and tortilla chips. Accompany with the lime wedges. Serves 4. one year ago: Peruvian chicken soup (aguadito di pollo) two years ago: blackberry-banana muffins