Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 2 chicken breasts on the bone ( I usually cook more chicken to save the extra for later use.)
• olive oil
• 1 to 1 1/2 t. cumin
• 1 - 2 T. chili powder
• 1 t. paprika
• salt to taste
• 1 large shallot
• 3 green onions
• 3 peppers -- I use Anaheims or Pasillas but you can use any type of pepper that suits your taste. Bell peppers are fine. (Today I used one green, one red Anaheim peppers and one Pasilla pepper that I bought at the farmer's market.)
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves
• chicken stock
• 1 can rotel tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or you can use dried black beans, soaked and cooked)
• 2 carrots
• 2 T. tomato paste
• corn torillas
• juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
• For garnishes:
• avocado
• sour cream
• crispy tortilla strips
• chopped cilantro
• chopped red onion

1. Preheat oven to 390 degrees
2. drizzle a little olive oil in baking pan
3. wash and pat dry chicken breasts, place in baking pan
4. drizzle a little more olive oil on chicken breasts
5. use 3/4 t. cumin; 1/2 T. chili powder, 3/4 t. paprika and salt to taste and rub into chicken
6. Place in oven and set timer for 15 minutes.
7. Cover chicken with foil, Reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 30 - 40 minutes depending on size of chicken breasts
8. Remove from oven, let sit while you chop the shallots, garlic and peppers
9. Add olive oil to large stock pan.
10. Once heated, add veg
11. Cook until shallots and garlic are translucent and just starting to carmelize
12. Add chicken stock and juices from baking pan
13. Chop carrots, add to soup
14. Once cooled enough to handle, shred chicken and add to soup
15. Add entire can of Rotel tomatoes (including liquid)
16. Drain and rinse black beans, add to soup
17. Add tomato paste
18. Add additional cumin, chili powder and salt to taste
19. Chop up 4 - 5 corn tortillas and add to soup (these will dissolve into soup, adding flavor and thickening)
20. Add lemon juice, stir in
21. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes, longer if you have the time.
22. Remove from heat, add 4 - 5 additional julienned tortilla strips
23. Quickly fry additional julienned tortilla strips in canola oil at fairly high heat until golden brown (optional) for garnish
24. Chop avocado and cilantro to use as garnishes
25. Return soup to heat just to low simmer
26. Serve with garnishes and enjoy!

chicken breasts, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, shallot, green onions, peppers, garlic, chicken, tomatoes, black beans, carrots, tomato, corn torillas, lemon, avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips, cilantro, red onion

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chicken-tortilla-soup-50160642 (may not work)