Southwest Chicken Black Bean Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, strips
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 -8 slices jalapeno peppers (the pickled kind from a jar)
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• season salt (i used emeril's southwest)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch tarragon
• 1 pinch oregano
• 1 pinch cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 in a medium sized skillet cook chicken that's been seasoned with seasoned salt until done and no longer pink.
• 2 dice and set aside.
• 3 finely chop bell peppers, onion and jalapeño slices in food processor or by hand if you like larger pieces.
• 4 combine all peppers, onion and jalapeño and add lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
• 5 melt margarine in a large stock pot.
• 6 sauté pepper and onion mixture until soft.
• 7 add can of crushed tomatoes, stirring.
• 8 add three cans of black beans, undrained.
• 9 add chicken to pot, stirring carefully; then add chicken broth to soup and stir.
• 10 next, add bay leaf, about a teaspoon of season salt, tarragon and cinnamon.
• 11 let simmer until flavors are combined and peppers and onion are soft and tender about one hour, or until it smells so good you cannot wait.
• 12 serve with crunchy strips.