Chicken Tortilla Soup

I realize that my food photography leaves a lot to be desired... but bear with me... we're hopefully getting a better camera soon, and maybe that will help me improve. My biggest problem is lack of natural (and unnatural, for that matter) lighting in our home. Anyway, here's my first recipe post! This chicken tortilla soup was delicious... the perfect recipe for a cold winter day. I hope you enjoy!

Also, a note... I very rarely measure anything when I'm cooking. (Only when I'm baking, and I don't even like doing it then, I just know I have to). Therefore, all of these measurements are approximations.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Recipe adapted from Star Pooley

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder (we like it spicy, feel free to reduce this)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 jalapenos, minced
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Optional garnishes:
tortilla chips, or fried tortilla strips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
sour cream
lime wedges
cilantro

Directions

1. In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Saute chicken breasts in oil, then remove and set aside.
2. If necessary, add 1 tablespoon of oil to stock pot. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, and cumin, until aromatic. Add tomatoes, broth, and lime juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low/medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shred chicken.
3. Add in corn, hominy, chiles, jalapenos, beans, and chicken. Simmer for 45-60 minutes.
4. Ladle soup into serving bowls, and top with preferred garnishes.



I served this alongside some Mexican cornbread, which I will blog about another time!