Chicken and Black Bean Tortilla Soup

This soup I made on our first snow day from school. There is nothing sweeter than a snow day, even for the teachers! With the surprise of an unplanned day to yourself and a pantry full of food to choose from, what else was there to do but think about what to make for dinner? My boys went out to shovel the snow and I made a delicious pot of soup that simmered away on the stove until we were ready to eat.

For gluten intolerant folks, watch out for some of the box broths and stocks on the market. Not all are gluten free, although I still can't figure out why anyone finds it necessary to put gluten in clear broths! My pantry always has boxes of organic broth from Wegman's and these brands that I know are safe: Pacific and Swanson. If time allows, as it does on a snow day... make your own. In my freezer I store deli containers of my own homemade chicken soup to grab and quickly defrost.

I made my soup today with homemade chicken broth and chicken breasts that I had in my freezer, defrosted, and then poached in water on the top of the stove. You can just as easily use leftover roast chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store. I also used a small can of chopped green chilies and I always keep these on hand in my pantry for times like this when I can't go out to shop for fresh peppers. These can be found in the international aisle of your market where they keep the Mexican ingredients.

• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 small can of chopped green chilies, drained
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• Corn Tortillas (GF)
• Cilantro, chopped

Heat a large stock pot with oil and add the diced onion. As the onions turn translucent, add the cumin, chili powder, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring until the spices are fragrant. Add the chopped green chilies and tomato paste. Stir.

Put the shredded chicken into the pot and toss to coat the chicken with all the flavors. Now add the black beans, diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Place one corn tortilla at a time over a dry skillet to lightly toast. Cut these into strips and add to the soup. Sprinkle cilantro over top. Excellent toppings would also be diced avocado, shredded cheese, red onion or sour cream.

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