Tortilla Soup

photo courtesy: pauladeen.com

Made this the other night, and we all liked it. It's light and filling. I'd like to play around with ingredients next time though, to make it more flavorful, but still, it was yummy.

Tortilla Soup

2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
3 quarts water
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, don't drain
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Sour cream, cilantro (optional)

In a large pot, combine chicken breast, water, celery, and yellow onion. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth; reserve broth. Let chicken cool slightly. Shred chicken, and set aside. Strain broth, discarding vegetables, set aside.

In pot, melt butter over medium-high heat; add sweet onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, 10 cups reserved chicken broth, shredded chicken, cilantro, cumin, salt, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

In a small skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips, in batches, until crispy; drain on paper towels.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with crispy tortilla strips. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro.

Bon Appetite!