Chicken Tortilla Soup

This time of year the weather here can go from 80 and gorgeous to cold and windy and back to 80 the next day. I guarantee no matter what the weather, we will complain. This is a Taco Tuesday favorite. You can put this together in about 30 minutes but it is really best in an hour. Even better in two. To die for the next day. This is a guarantee hit with The Ballplayer. Any vegetable based soup I know he will eat. I like to add canned chilis to mine. The heat isn't spicy but warm. I also like cumin. It is smokey but not smokey like BBQ. You could leave both out or add just a little and taste it and add more until you are satisfied.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 large carrots chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 red onion diced

1 clove of garlic chopped
2 TB oil
2 Chicken Breasts (skinless)
salt and pepper
can diced tomatoes (I didn't have so I used 1/2 can crushed and saved the other half for spaghetti night)
1 carton vegetable stock
1 can of green chilis
4 cups of water
1/2-1 TB cumin
1 cup of frozen corn
homemade tortilla chips OR store bought tortilla chips

start prepping your veggies

coat your pan with 2 TB oil. Look at my pan! That is bad!! I think I am out of rinse agent or something!!!

dump all the veggies into the HOT pan and cook on medium high
salt and pepper. I always season in stages so everything is seasoned
Add the garlic
I am looking for the vegetables to get some carmelization on them. This really adds flavor to the soup
That's what I want!!
Add chilis!! Ignore the candy in the background!
This should have been diced tomatoes. Honestly The Ballplayer is happier that it isn't. He loves crushed crushed tomatoes. He likes the flavor the tomatoes give but not the chunky tomatoes. I personally love it all!
Add The Stock
And water. And you're probably wondering why??? Why not add more stock? I like the flavor of the watered down stock so the vegetables get a chance to flavor the soup.
Cumin. And this is the last of this bottle, may it rest in peace...Thankfully there is more in the pantry
This is the other half of the crushes tomatoes. Spaghetti later in the week (it will take a whole lotta more tomatoes but that's another recipe)
Now I just grilled this chicken. You can poach it, you can buy a rotisserie chicken, or use last nights. You need two chicken breasts worth though.
Add one cup of frozen corn, this is from Trader Joe's and is Roasted Corn. Hello!!!
Let Simmer about 30 minutes if not longer. Before serving fry up some tortillas. I like to take 4 flour tortillas, cut in half and then slice into slices. Heat up about one cup of oil on medium high until HOT
Fry up until golden brown. They really go fast. I use tongs to fish them out of the oil and dry on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt as soon as you lay them out on the paper towels. Watch for poachers. The Fireman is a classic example of a poacher. This pile can be and would be poached to nothing if I did not threaten bodily harm. I am not kidding. Store bought tortilla chips have nothing on these babies.
It's just my carb loving opinion but you must start with a pile of tortilla chips in the bottom of the bowl. No really. There is a law somewhere.
Add Soup and more chips and cheese.