SOUP – Chicken Tortilla

(17 DEC 2011 - This is one of my favorite homemade soups.  It is very healthy, especially if you use olive oil and low-fat or non-fat milk.  The soup is a warm red color and looks delicious with side garnishes of cilantro, chives, green onions, diced fresh tomatoes, and some shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced bell pepper, or even guacamole.  I like this soup with sour dough bread, but bread sticks or even crackers are great too.  I make it a MEAL by serving a great garden salad and chilled green tea — but that's just me!  Also, I like to add my own dash of TABASCO Green Pepper Sauce or Original Sauce to my individual serving, so I can "spice it up" – but mildly!!!  dht)

Makes about 4 quarts of soup – that's a LOT, so I freeze the soup in small portions (about 2 cups).  It freezes GREAT!

So here are the ingredients:

1 T Olive Oil

      (Olive Oil is best for taste and healthy

      too;  but you can use canola oil)

2  medium onions

      (yellow or white, cut in thin strips)

1 T chopped garlic

      (fresh or bottled; or 1 tsp dried)

2 pounds cooked boneless chicken

      (cut in thin strips; I prefer white chicken

      for this recipe that has been baked or

      broiled)

1 tsp salt (or salt substitute)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 quart chicken stock

      (or use water; I prefer using my own

       homemade chicken stock or chicken

       stock from grocery store)

6 cups Enchilada Sauce (see below)

1 quart water

1 quart cream

      (half-and-half, low fat milk, or

       non-fat milk; you decide what you

       prefer; or you can even use

       canned milk)

10 corn tortillas

      (cut in one-inch squares; I prefer the

       tortillas that are made without LARD)

NOW the mixing and cooking steps.

Sauté the olive oil, onions, garlic, chicken, salt, and pepper on medium heat in a large saucepan, until the onions are soft and the garlic (if you used fresh) is golden.

Simmer chicken stock, Enchilada Sauce (see below), water, cream (or milk), and tortillas together until tortillas are soft.  Stir by hand or take the pan off the heat and use an electric hand mixer to blend.

Then combine ALL INGREDIENTS and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Serve HOT or WARM – delicious!

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OKAY, so here is the homemade Enchilada Sauce for this SOUP (or you can use this sauce for homemade ENCHILADAs – YUMMY!!)

HOME MADE ENCHILADA SAUCE

2 T olive oil (or canola oil is good too)

1 T minced fresh garlic (or bottled)

1 T minced fresh yellow or white onion

1 tsp cumin dry spice

1 T chili powder

     (I prefer 2 T just because

      I like chili flavoring)

1 tsp oregano (dried is okay)

6 diced red ripe tomatoes

     (I prefer the fresh Roma tomatoes;

      but canned diced tomatoes are okay

      to use too)

1 red bell pepper

     (or you can use the orange or

      yellow bell pepper)

3 cups water

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

To make the Enchilada Sauce.

Sauté the Enchilada Sauce ingredients together in large sauce pan over medium heat.  Then add the 3 cups of water and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Then let cool for 5-10 minutes. And then pour into a blender to puree until smooth -- (I prefer it a little lumpy so I can see the lumps of tomatoes – but that's just me).

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr - 2011]