Tex-mex Chicken Tortilla Soup

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

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (3 lb) whole chickens, rinsed
• water, to cover
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 large carrots, peeled, quartered, and sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaf, chopped, loosely packed
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 5 corn tortillas
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese or 1/2 lb monterey jack cheese
• tortilla chips or fritos corn chips
• chopped fresh cilantro
• diced onion

Recipe

• 1 place the rinsed chicken in a 5-quart soup pot. cover with water by 2 inches. add the cumin, chili powder, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, oregano, and cilantro leaves. bring to a boil and simmer the chicken for 30-45 minutes until tender and done.
• 2 remove chicken from the pot and cool slightly. do not discard broth. while the chicken cools, soak the tortillas in 3 cups of the broth (inside the jar of the blender) for 5 minutes, then purée until smooth.
• 3 return the pureed tortillas to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
• 4 when the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, bones, and any fatty pieces from the chicken meat. cut or pull the meat into bite-sized pieces.
• 5 add the chicken back to the soup pot with the broth and heat until hot.
• 6 peel and seed the avocado, then grate the cheese. thoroughly wash cilantro and mince; finely dice onions. ladle the soup into bowl and garnish with the chips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and onions. serve and enjoy.