Texas Thick & Spicy Tortilla Soup

I came up with this after several attempts and still tweaking. Starting with a bland one I found in a cookbook and deleted and added until I got the taste and consistency I liked. Most of the ones I had tried were watery and bland. This is a hot soup. If you don’t like hot and spicy, don’t make it ,,, you won’t like it. I’m from Texas where we like our women, chili and most everything else hot. To make it even hotter, add the whole can of Rotel and leave the Jalapeño seeds in. This will generously serve 6 people. Add garnish if you must or just pour it up and enjoy with a cool glass of iced tea or man beverage of your choice. You can use generic brands for the ingredients but if you are health conscious, check the labels for fat and cholesterol content. The generics I have looked at are usually higher in both compared to name brands.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 3 quarts

Ingredients

• 1 (13 ounce) can  shredded cooked chicken breasts, - 98% fat free
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (10 ounce) can  enchilada sauce
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  jalapeno, seeds removed and diced (3-inch )
• 2  garlic cloves, diced
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 (10 ounce) can rotel
• 1 (14 ounce) can  cream-style corn
• 1 (16 ounce) can  refried beans, Fat Free
• 1 (10 ounce) can  cheddar cheese soup
• 1 (1 1/4ounce) package  taco seasoning
• 8  corn tortillas, cut into small triangular wedges

Directions

1. Pour Chicken Broth into 6 quart stockpot.
2. Drain water from chicken, break apart and add to the broth.
3. Add 1/2 of the pkg of Taco Seasoning… save the rest for next time.
4. Add 1/2 of the can of Beans.
5. Add 1/2 of the can of Rotel.
6. Add remaining ingredients except for the Corn Tortillas.
7. Rinse cans with water and add to the pot .add additional water to your preference as it will boil down and thicken.
8. Start on medium heat until reaching a low boil while continuously stirring. Drop to a low heat and continue cooking for at least an hour, frequently stirring , tasting and monitoring consistency. Add water to thin, more beans to thicken.
9. Once to your liking, add the corn tortilla wedges and cook for another 15 minutes. If you add them too soon, they will dissolve.