Savory Tortilla Soup

This is so yummy and refreshing. I used a recipe I found online but modified it to lower the fat content. This basic recipe can easily be modified to fit your tastes.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 C carrot, diced
1 C celery, diced
1 C onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 T olive oil or safflower oil, divided
2 boneless chicken breasts
32 oz chicken broth, low sodium
juice of 1 lime
1 15 ounce can, Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1/2 packet taco seasoning (I used McCormicks)
10 corn tortillas cut into small pieces
1/2 C milk

Toppings:
shredded cheese
cilantro
avacado
corn chips or tortillas

1. Heat 1 T of oil and brown chicken. Remove from pan. Dice into bite size pieces.

2. Keep the drippings, add 1 T oil and saute carrots, onions, celery, garlic and salt and pepper until tender.

3. Return chicken to pan and add taco seasonings. Stir until all ingredients are coated with spices.

4. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and lime juice. Add the tortillas pieces and let boil 20 minutes until they are thoroughly incorporated into soup. Stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

5. Add milk and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

6. Serve the soup with a sprinkling of cheese and other toppings of your choice. Delicious!

This soup also freezes well.