Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

To prepare chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Trim fat from chicken breasts and slice the horizontally, lengthwise, to create 2 thin filets from each breast. Place chicken filets on a large baking sheet, and add water to baking sheet until it comes approximately 1/3 of the way up the sides of the chicken.

In a small prep bowl, combine garlic salt, minced onion, onion powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and chili powder. Sprinkle spice mixture over the tops of the chicken filets, covering the top as completely as possible. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking:

In a large soup pot, bring chicken broth to boil. Turn heat to medium-high and add all of the cream soups, whisking until smooth. Add milk and whisk again. Add beans, corn and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Once soup is hot or boiling, add cheese and stir.

Around now, the chicken should be ready. Remove from the oven and dice (while still hot) into small pieces. Add chicken to soup and stir again.

Using a pizza cutter or large knife, slice tortillas into 1/4 to 1/3 inch strips. I usually cut the longer pieces in half, as well, to keep them manageable when you’re eating them. Add tortillas to soup and stir.

At this point, you can add more cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or even some tabasco if you want extra heat. This soup is not super spicy in its original state, so you can add seasoning to your individual taste.

Allow soup to cook another 10 minutes over medium-low heat. The tortillas should have turned to the consistency of noodles.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, or a sprinkle of cilantro or green onions.

I would not recommend continuing to cook this soup. Turn off the heat or the tortillas begin to disintegrate, which is not pleasant. The soup saves well, and the leftovers are FANTASTIC!