Chicken Tortilla Soup - Restaurant Style

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into small bite sized pieces
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 (4 ounce) cans of mild fire-roasted green chilies
• 1 (30 ounce) can refried beans
• 30 ounces chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon southwest seasoning
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 low-carb tortillas
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons low-fat sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided (optional)
• salt
• cilantro leaf (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and cook diced chicken pieces for 5 minutes, stirring often so they don't get brown - remove chicken and set aside.
• 2 heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same large soup pot over medium heat and add onion cook for 1 minute stirring often.
• 3 press 2 cloves of garlic into the pot over the onions and cook for another minute - continue stirring so the onions and garlic do not brown.
• 4 add the two cans of green chilies and cook for another minute.
• 5 add the cooked chicken, refried beans and broth (i buy broth by the carton and measure the broth by filling the empty refried bean can) - blend this mixture well.
• 6 add 1 tablespoon of southwest seasoning and 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite) - simmer soup on medium low heat until heated through. at this point the soup is ready, but if you simmer on low heat for another 15 - 30 minutes it will give the seasoning a chance to blend well.
• 7 while the soup is simmering preheat oven to 350 and cut the tortillas into very thin strips using a pizza cutter - when watching carbs i use 1/2 tortilla per person.
• 8 place tortilla strips 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 4 pinches of salt in a ziplock bag and shake well.
• 9 spread into 1 layer on cookie sheet spayed with oil (make the strips in shapes rather than all of them be completely flat) and bake for 5 - 7 minutes. (i have also toasted these in a large frying pan if you prefer method).
• 10 this recipe makes four hearty 2 1/2 cup portions - ladle soup into bowls, garnish each bowl with tortilla strips, 1/8 cup of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves. (serving idea: i have also served this soup with cheese quesadillas).