Mexican Soup Con Tortillas

I started with a soup recipe from an old cookbook and tweaked it until I got this. We really love it. Of course, it will be ten times better if you make your own chicken broth. Its a meal in a bowl!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  salad oil
• 1  large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 -3  dried red chili (depends on how hot you want it)
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 2  tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine
• 2  garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 10  cups chicken broth
• 3  chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
• 2  large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1⁄3 cup brown rice
• 2  zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
•  salt
• 6  corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried crispy
• 1  cup monterey jack cheese, grated

Directions

1. Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add oinions, separated into rings, chilies, cumin and cilantro. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, then add broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
4. Add carrots, chicken breasts and rice to broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes, until breast meat is done.
5. Lift out meat and let set until cool enough to handle, then shred or cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
6. Add zucchini and chicken meat to soup and simmer, uncovered, just until zucchini is bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
7. To serve. place a small handful of tortilla strips in each bowl and spoon soup over. Put some grated jack cheese on top, if desired.