Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yield: Serves 4–6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Frozen corn allows you to make this soup any time of year. If you’d rather substitute fresh corn from the cob, you may. I used red and black tortilla strips to top the soup since they’re just so colorful, but you can use sliced flour or corn tortillas if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 canned chipotle in adobo sauce (see Note), finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (2-pound) rotisserie chicken, meat shredded

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Avocado, sliced, for garnish

Tortilla chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

2. Add the broth, tomatoes, chili powder, chipotle, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken, beans, corn, and lime juice. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is heated through and the veggies are tender.

4. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with lime juice, cilantro, and avocado and serve with tortilla chips.

NOTE

The chipotle in adobo provides even more spice. Feel free to omit it for a milder heat. The remaining chipotles and sauce in the can freeze very well.