Totally Awesome [Chicken] Tortilla Soup

As I begin to dabble back in the meat eating realm, I'm totally shocked yet equally not all surprised by what I'm enjoying and what I'm not. Still fairly low on the list: chicken, thick cuts of steak, meatballs. Back on my radar: bacon (my gateway meat) and barbecue brisket (I mean, anything slathered in sauce is good).

I say all this because much to my own surprise, I've been making a chicken tortilla soup. I recently saw a post on What's Gaby Cooking that featured Tortilla Soup, and sure enough (and soon enough) I started craving it. Warm and hearty. Zippy and flavorful. Filling but healthy. Everything I could ever ask for in a soup. And more.

What I love most about this dish is that it's vegan unless you choose to add shredded chicken. And store-bought rotisserie works great. I improvised up my own simple recipe, which is very adaptable, so feel free to add in different vegetables, or adjust the spices to your liking. I'll never post anything I don't enjoy, but there are certainly things I definitely love more than others...things I want to eat day after day. This soup is it. I've already made it twice this week. Happy slurping.

you'll need...

1 small onion, finely diced

2 small or 1 large clove of garlic

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 28 ounce can of crush tomatoes

1 32 ounce box of vegetable (or chicken stock)

1 14 ounce can of black beans, drained

1 14 ounce can of water

4 red bliss potatoes, diced

1 cup of shredded or diced carrots

1 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder (optional)

1 rotisserie chicken (optional)

Optional: crushed tortilla, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, shredded chicken, sour cream to make... Mince garlic and diced onion. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add in onion and garlic to pot. While you let them soften and brown a bit, dice the potatoes. Next add the crushed tomatoes, stock, beans and carrots. Let it boil and then summer for about 20-25 mins. Halfway through add the corn. Return to a boil. Potatoes and carrots should be tender. While it cooks, de-bone and shred the rotisserie chicken, if using (1/2 of a small rotisserie chicken was plenty). Add to pot during the last 5 minutes. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream and cheese. Insider's tip: it's even better the next day. serves about 6 hearty eaters

#vegan #chicken #easy #soup #blackbeans #corn #vegetables #vegetarian #avocado #dinner #makeahead