Tortilla Soup

If you lived here:

...and some of us do...

Wouldn't you like some hot and delicious soup to warm up? 

Try our slightly twisted version of tortilla soup - the carrots remind us of our all-time Dallas favorite, Veracruz Cafe :) If you're not a carrot fan, just swap for bell peppers - or try both! The beauty of tortilla soup is that it is super easy to alter to your liking. I hardly ever make two batches the same, depending on what we'd like that day (or what's in the pantry!).

Ingredients:

1/2-1 lb bone-in chicken breast (again... this is a time where you could buy a pre-cooked rotisserie)

Chicken broth (1 box your favorite brand)

2 carrots, finely chopped (here's a trick: avoid having carrots roll off the chopping mat by giving them a vertical slice to make a flat edge)

1 large white onion, finely chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 jalapenos (whole; optional if you're not into spicy)

3 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 stick butter

1/2 packet taco seasoning (we bought McCormick's)

Cheese (we used cheddar this time, but feel free to get crazy - melty varieties are best and monterrey jack and queso fresco are other excellent options)

Tortilla chips

Avocado, sliced

Lime (opt)

Sour Cream (opt)

Directions:

Sautee onions, carrots and garlic in butter in a large sturdy pan (I used my Le Creuset dutch oven).

Sautee for a long time... if you think you're done, wait 10 more minutes. You don't want any bite in your soup, after all.

Meanwhile, cook the chicken by placing it in a large stockpot and covering with water. Bring to a boil for 15ish minutes, until meat is cooked through. Remove from water and let cool.

Add tomatoes to the onion base.

Shred chicken using a fork and add to onion/tomato base.

Add taco mix and salt and pepper to taste.

Add chicken broth to onion base until desired thickness achieved. I like my soup pretty ingredienty... if you'd like yours to go further or be a little more brothy, feel free to add water. All that simmering will bring the water up to speed with the other flavors.

Add jalapenos (whole) and let simmer for 45 minutes to 3 or more hours (of course, the longer the better). Season as needed during simmering process.

Now, my favorite part: fill the bottom of a bowl with lots of tortilla chips and a little cheese.

Next, ladle your soup right in.

Top with avocado, sour cream, cheese and more chips - to your liking, of course!

Don't you feel warmer already?