Good Eats: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm in love.  With the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.  Since discovering her by way of my other idol, Cara Carroll of Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour, I have fallen madly, deeply in love with her and all of the delicious dishes that she has brought into our lives.  There were the Roasted Potato Wedges that we made to eat alongside Sloppy Joes last weekend, the awesome Smashed Potatoes that we paired with Cara Carroll's Smothered Chicken a few weeks back, and now this soup.  It's literally a fiesta in your mouth.  So good. 

A word of warning about this soup, however - I made the mistake of thinking that I could make the soup and eat the soup all in one evening.  No dice.  By the time I had picked up the ingredients at the grocery store and set about preparing the dish, it was already quite late.  Fortunately, I had picked up the necessary materials to make cheese quesadillas when I stopped at the store, so we had quesadillas that night and the soup (with some leftover quesadillas) the next night!  Yum! 

Try this soup.  You just might fall in love, too. 

Recipe for:  Chicken Tortilla Soup
From:  The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
32 ounces fluid low sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups hot water
2 cans black beans, drained
3 tablespoons cornmeal
5 whole corn tortillas, cut into unifrom strips around 2 to 3 inches
Garnishes:  Sour cream, diced avocado, diced red onion, salsa or pico de gallo, grated Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts,  the sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides.  Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
2.  Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Use two forks to shread chicken.  Set aside.
3.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat.  Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic.  Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix.  Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
4.  Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
5.  Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water.  Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes.  Check seasonings, adding more if needed - add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.  Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
6.  Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it!  (The garnishes truly make the soup delicious.)

*Photo courtesy of www.thepioneerwoman.com