Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you're looking for a very flavorful and mildly spicy soup, this recipe may be what your looking for.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  carrot
• 2  tablespoons canola oil
• 2  chipotle chiles, in abobo sauce chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  rotisserie chicken, deboned and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes
• 3⁄4 cup frozen corn
• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1⁄2 cup rice
• 6  corn tortillas
• 1⁄4 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Slice carrot into bite-sized pieces, mince garlic and chop the chipotle chiles, and cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside. In a large soup pot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot. When the oil is warm, add diced onions and chiles. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic last and simmer for another minute.
2. Add chicken broth and tomatoes to the soup pot. Add celery seed and bay leaves. Stir to blend. Now add the carrots and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken, beans, rice, and corn. Stir ingredients and cook for 20 minutes longer. Taste to see if you need more salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves before serving.
3. In a medium saucepan, add about an inch of canola oil to the pan. Cut corn tortillas into one inch strips. When oil is hot, fry tortillas until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined paper plate and add seasoned salt if desired.
4. SUGGESTED GARNISHES: Cheddar/Jack Cheese, Sour Cream, Sliced Avocado, Cilantro, Corn Tortilla strips, Lime slices to squeeze into the soup.
5. TIPS & WARNINGS: You can make your own chicken broth so you can control the sodium content. Buy a whole cooked chicken from the deli in your Supermarket and remove the chicken from the bone and cut into bite size pieces if you are pressed for time.