Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 tspn fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup chopped green pepper (optional)
• 1 x 15 oz can tomato purée
• 1 tbsp finely minced jalapeño pepper (optional)
• ½ tspn salt
• ¼ tspn pepper (optional)
• 1 tspn granulated sugar
• 1 tspn chili powder (optional)
• 1 tspn Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tspn hot sauce (optional)
• 4 tbsp flour
• ½ cup water
• 1 lb cooked chicken, cubed or pulled
• 1 cup cream
• ¼ cup nonfat sour cream
• 8 oz processed cheese, 1" cubes
• 10 x 6" colored or yellow corn tortillas, ¼" strips, fried
• fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

1. Sauté oil, garlic and onions in large pan or Dutch oven until soft.
2. Add chicken stock, green pepper, tomato purée, minced jalapeño, salt and pepper, sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.
3. Bring to low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into ¼" strips and fry in oil or spray with oil and bake at 400ºF. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
5. Thoroughly mix flour and water, then whisk into soup. Bring to a low boil, then simmer 5 minutes.
6. Add chicken and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and cheese (more or less of each, depending on taste). Ensure a 165°F serving temperature.
7. After serving soup, pile tortilla strips into a "haystack" shape on top of the soup. Optional: garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.