Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

Hubby, my sweet non-soup eater, has declared this "the BEST soup you've ever made!"

The changes I made are at the bottom of the recipe...because as we all know, I rarely follow a recipe completely! :)

 

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

(Recipe courtesy of The Food Network)

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 packages chicken tenders, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1 Tbsp. coriander, a palm full
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, quartered & thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded & thinly sliced
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 bag white corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded pepper Jack or sharp white Cheddar
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 lime, juiced
4 scallions, chopped
Handful fresh cilantro leaves or fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, begin to brown 4 minutes, add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is working, lightly crush some tortilla chips and divide among 4 bowls. You need a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with a little cheese. Toss the avocado with lime juice. Top the chips with ladles of soup. Garnish soup with avocado, scallions and cilantro or parsley.

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My changes:

• used 3 chicken breasts, next time I'll use a rotisserie chicken for even more flavor.
• I didn't have coriander so I omitted it
• added cumin and garlic powder
• added a can of yellow corn
• used dried thyme
• omitted scallions, parsley, and cilantro
• used cheddar cheese