Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chipotle and Fire Roasted Tomato

I'm not normally a soup person (unless I'm at Splash Cafe eating their clam chowder in a bread bowl), but this soup is one that I will eat for many days without getting sick of it. Its name is a mouthful, but its flavor is incredible. My boyfriend made it for me once and it's definitely one of the top 5 things he's made for me. It's Rachael Ray's recipe from her 30-minute meal show, but, honestly, I don't think anyone can make her recipes in 30 minutes. It has a lot of ingredients, so be prepared to buy a little of many things and do a lot of dishes!

Here is the recipe. I wasn't able to capture the process because I was busy making the stuffed mushrooms in the post below while the soup was being made, but follow the directions to the T and you should be fine.

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 bay leaf, fresh if available
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 4 slices thick, smoky center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• Salt
• 4 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white Cheddar, 3/4 pound
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer and add chicken tenders, poach 6 to 7 minutes with a bay leaf.

While chicken poaches, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp then remove with slotted spoon. Drain off excess fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes.

Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup. Pass stock through a strainer then add to the soup.

Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with smoked cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup. 

*This recipe makes about 4-5 servings