Famous Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from a friend who bragged that it was from a famous restaurant in Houston.  Not being from Houston though, the restaurant name meant nothing to me and I have no memory of which one it is.  Lucky for me, the kids don't care one bit whether it's famous or not--this meal has been on our menu for more than a decade now and it's still one of my favorite stand-by meals for crazy nights. Not only is it flavorful and satisfying, but it's also one of the quickest meals out there.  When I use pre-cooked chicken and dried onions, I can whip up a batch of this in 8 minutes flat...ready to eat. Seriously. Even with sauteing the onions and using raw chicken, it's only a thirty to forty minute meal, most of it spent simmering. 

 Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups of water + 4 chicken bouillon cubes)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 can (15-ounces) black beans, drained
4 corn tortillas, torn in pieces
2 chicken breasts, cubed (I usually use a 12-ounce can of cooked chicken breast or 2 cups of leftover chicken chunks)
1 can (14-ounces) diced tomatoes (or you can use a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies if you like it spicier)
Desired garnishments: sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips.

Directions:  Saute chopped onion in hot oil over medium heat. Cook until soft, about 7-8 minutes. [If you're in a big hurry, you can just add some dried onions in with the rest of the ingredients]. 

Add broth, black beans, spices, tortillas, chicken, and tomatoes.

Heat until boiling. If you are using pre-cooked chicken then it's ready to serve immediately, otherwise simmer until chicken is cooked through.

Remove bay leaf and serve hot with sour cream, grated cheese, and corn tortilla chips.

Serves 5-6. 

Enjoy!

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