Tortilla Soup

My own variation of a Mexican favourite. Full of nutritious veggies, fast and easy to make.....

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, diced
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1⁄2 large onion, diced
• 1  jalapeno pepper
• 1  red pepper
• 1  chili pepper (or any other type)
• 4 -5  garlic cloves, diced
• 4  cups  chicken stock
• 1  chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 2  links chorizo sausage, skins removed
• 1⁄2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1  avocado, diced
• 1⁄2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (or other soft cheese)
•  salt
•  pepper
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  tortilla, shell
• 1  lime

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot; chop onion and garlic finely; add onion and garlic to the pot and cook until tender but not browned.
2. Remove seeds from peppers and chop finely; add tomatoes, drained black beans, peppers, chicken stock and salt and pepper to pot. Bring to boil, then turn down to simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. I like to put part of the soup into a blender to break it down a bit (or imulsify it with a hand blender) and return it to the pot, or leave it all without blending (your choice).
4. Cut the tortilla shell into 1/4 inch strips; add to oil in a medium hot fry pan, cooking until crisp but not burnt. Put aside. In the same fry pan, cook the crumbled sausage meat until no longer pink. Shred the chicken and add the drained sausage and chicken to the soup to warm up.
5. To serve:
6. Put the condiments - avocado, cilantro, cheese, tortilla strips and lime wedges in separate bowls and put on the table so each guest can put what they want in their soup. Fill the soup bowls with the soup and have each guest put their condiments on top of the soup, or put the avocado, cheese and cilantro in the bottom of the bowl first, then fill with soup; squeeze a lime wedge over the soup. Top with tortilla strips and enjoy.
7. If you like spicier things, add more peppers - poblanos, habernos, whatever you like -- .