Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have raved and raved about the Meyer Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, but I also made this Chicken Tortilla Soup after seeing it posted over at PreventionRD.  It is also delicious!!  As a matter of fact, I am planning on making both of these soups again this week.  It's chilly and rainy and soup will be perfect.  Plus I love it and it's generally low calorie.  Of course, I enjoyed this bowl with plenty of cheese, guacamole, and...no that's not sour cream.  It's plain yogurt!  It makes an excellent and healthier alternative to sour cream.

And fresh cilantro definitely makes it mo'betta.

Chicken Tortilla Soup adapted from PreventionRD

2 t. olive oil
1 lb (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalepeno, seeded and diced
1/4 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes with Cilantro and Lime
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

I prepared my chicken in the crock pot, so it was ready to shred and add to soup that evening.  Add the peppers, and onion to a stock pot with the 2 tsp of olive oil.  Cook for a few minutes on medium heat until they just begin to soften.  Add garlic and stir, and heat for about 30 seconds.  Add the can of tomatoes (juice and all), cumin, bay leaf, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes to combine the flavors and cook the vegetables.

Add the chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the flavors have developed.  

Remove the bay leaf and pulse process the soup in your food processor (in batches, if necessary) or immersion blender, to your desired consistency. Do not overfill your food processor or you may have soup spewing all down the sides.  Trust me on this.  Add the soup back into your stock pot (the blending is completely optional btw.  It IS more work, but I prefer my veggies to be pulverized and it gives the soup and nice hearty texture.)  Add the shredded chicken into the soup. Let this simmer for about 20 more minutes.  I just allowed my soup to cool and then stuck it in the fridge, so the flavors got to mingle all night.  My plan was to have it for dinner the following evening, but it was calling my name by lunch time, so I had it for lunch, and dinner too!

Check out the original recipe because I made several changes  - I didn't use corn, tortillas or anaheim peppers, but it was still very good! (It also freezes well!)  Of course, I think the container in my freezer was in there for all of 3 days.

I loved this soup.  It's mildly spicy and just a bowl of warmth and comfort.  Amen.

I'm linking up today with Everything Under the Moon, Homemaker on a Dime, Beyer Beware, Delightfully Dowling, A Southern Fairytale, Skip to my Lou, The Girl Creative, Life as Mom, Things that make you say "mmmmm!", Making the World Cuter, The Sweet Spot, Our Delightful Home