A chicken tortilla soup that uses ground up corn tortillas as a thickening agent leaving you with a slightly velvety soup full of a range of flavors typically associated with tex-mex cuisine: lime juice, jalapeño, tomatoes, garlic, and chili powder.  Be sure to use corn tortillas if you are looking to make a gluten free soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 quartered Onion
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Jalapeño Pepper (seeds removed
• 12 oz of diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp ground Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• Fresh ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 8 cups of Water
• 5 Corn Tortillas + 4 Corn Tortillas
• Juice from 1 Lime
• chopped Cilantro and diced Avocado for garnishing

Directions:

1. Heat up the olive oil in a large stock pot.
2. Sauté the onions, garlic, and jalapeño in the olive oil.
3. Add the tomatoes, chicken, spices, and seasoning.
4. Pour in the water.  Make sure that it covers the tops of all the ingredients.
5. Bring the pot to a low boil, and continue to cook the soup for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
6. Ladle about 1 cup of the soup broth into a small bowl containing 5 of the corn tortillas.
7. Set the tortillas aside to soak of about 5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the soup, and dice it up.
9. Set the chicken aside.
10. Place the soaked tortillas in the blender, and blend until smooth.
11. Add the rest of the soup into the blender – including all of the vegetables.
12. Blend until smooth.
13. Pour the soup back into the stock pot, and continue to cook the soup for another 30 or so minutes.  The blended tortillas should thicken the soup slightly.
14. Add the lime juice.
15. 10 minutes before serving, return the chicken to the broth to reheat.
16. Slice the remaining 4 corn tortillas, and toast them up for garnishing the soup.
17. Serve and garnish your soup with the toasted tortilla slices, cilantro, and avocado.