Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sear the chicken in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat, and then remove from the pan. Set aside. Turn down the heat and toss the garlic, onion, chipotle pepper, and jalapeno into the pot, stirring well so that they don’t brown. Saute until they are soft and translucent.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and cumin. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 10 minutes while the tomatoes break down and absorb all the flavors. Add the chicken corn, and chicken broth, stirring well.

Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center (about 10-15 minutes). Remove the chicken, set aside, and shred.

With a hand held blender, process the broth until it’s the texture you like. I like my soup to be a bit chunky still, but that’s why I love the handheld wand so much—it lets you do that! Add the shredded chicken, beans, and cilantro back into the pot. Zest the lime right into the pot and then cut it in half and squeeze the juice in as well. Stir and heat through. Taste for seasonings, and add salt and pepper if you feel it needs more.

Serve topped with cheese, chunks of avocado and some tortilla chips.

Makes 6 servings.