Chicken Tortilla Soup

For nearly twenty years, I worked in IT and Finance for a corporation that fed its employees free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I was so spoiled! Marriott Food Service cooked our meals, and one of the chefs gave me this recipe for their fantastic Chicken Tortilla soup. Whenever they served this popular soup, they set up a bar with all sorts of toppings, like sliced jalapenos, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, tortilla strips and cheese.

It's barely 20 degrees in Chicagoland today, and I'm reading the tart and funny book, "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris. It's set in Corporate America, right in Chicago's Loop, and I'm toasty at home with a pot of soup and lots of memories. If you liked "The Office" series and the movie "Office Space", you might like this book also.

This quick soup can be ready in 45 minutes, or you can simmer it on low in a crock pot all day.

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

3 cups onion, diced

3 cups red pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can tomato sauce

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less, to taste)

4 corn tortillas

3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese

Directions

In a large stock pot, saute chicken in oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except the tortillas and cheese, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Bake tortillas until slightly crispy, then cut into strips. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl, then top with the tortilla strips and cheese, and any other ingredients like jalapenos or guacamole.

Serves 6.