Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced (add some seeds if you want more heat)
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded, or any leftover cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups organic chicken broth
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced, or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• crushed tortilla chips for garnish
• shredded cheddar or jack cheese, or diced avocado for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and salt and stir to coat. Add chicken broth, bay leaf, tomatoes, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken and simmer until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Stir in cilantro. Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips and cheese or avocado.

olive oil, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno chile, chicken breasts, tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, salt, chicken broth, bay leaf, tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, cheddar

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/-chicken-tortilla-soup-50162785 (may not work)