Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla Soup

Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla Soup

My sister-in–law Sara, lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a number of years, and that's where this soup entered her repertoire.  She shared a version of this recipe with me and it has become one of our favorites.  Sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese and crushed tortilla chips are A MUST to adorn this fabulous soup.  I always omit the jalapeno peppers when making this for my children, but if you like it HOT go ahead and use them!  I love using a rotisserie chicken for this recipe because it makes the preparation so much easier.  

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and discarded, diced (optional) 

8 ounces canned green chilies and liquid

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 carrots, peeled chopped

4 celery sticks, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and diced

2 cups beef broth

3 cups chicken broth

28 ounces crushed tomatoes or 3 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes ground in food processor

15 ounces can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon Tabasco (optional)

1 lime, juiced

Garnishes:

grated cheddar cheese

sliced avocado

sour cream

tortilla chips, crushed

fresh lime, quartered

In large pot, sauté jalapeno, green chilies, onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil for 20 minutes or until soft.   Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20-40 minutes. Stir in lime juice just before serving and garnish with favorite toppings.