Chicken Tomatillo Soup

I know that Mexican Tortilla soup recipes are a dime a dozen on line, but I dare you to compare the freshness of this recipe to any of those others that use taco meat seasoning packets or bottled salsa.  This recipe got the whole family excited - even my sister in law who was visiting.  It doesn't have a lot of kick to it since my boys are spice sissies, but if you want more spice adding some diced jalapenos or Tabasco Sauce would be a very simple alteration.

Chicken Tomatillo Soup

• Shredded chicken meat (about 2 breasts worth)
• 4 c. chicken broth (I used low-sodium)
• 1 can beans, drained and rinsed (I used black, but pinto or kidney would go great)
• 1/2 c. corn
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 tomatillos, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, including liquid
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 bay leaf

Top soup with:

• shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, mexican blend), if desired
• 1 avocado, diced (Recommended - Josh and I couldn't get enough of the avocado in ours)
• sour cream, if desired
• tortilla chips

Add a little cooking spray to your soup pot and set over medium heat. Add onions and the tomatillos and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the onions have softened and are beginning to turn a light brown. Stir in the chopped garlic cloves and all other spices, and cook for another 2 minutes.  Next, add the chicken breasts (if not using leftover chicken) chopped tomatoes with liquid, and the chicken broth bring to a boil over med-high heat, then as soon as you see bubbles, reduce the heat to med-low.  When the chicken is cooked through (about 20 min, more or less depending on size and heat of stove), remove to a plate. Now add the beans and corn to the soup. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot as well. Let everything heat through on a med-low heat.  Salt & pepper to taste (if flavors are weak, I'll sometimes add more chili powder and cumin at this point too).  Only add the cilantro in the last few minutes before serving.

Serve the hot soup with the toppings I used or others to your liking.

Happy Cooking!