#85 Make a New Dish Every Month

Alright so this officially kicks off my first blog since starting my 101 Things to Do. I have started on a few of them and may be motivated to blog about them in a bit but we will see!

So for #85 I made a new dish for December which was a delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup. I had some Tortilla soup at a restaurant the day before and while I enjoyed it I felt it lacked something and I felt I could do it better. Let me tell ya, I did. I found a recipe online from www.thepioneerwoman.com and it looked really good. I also liked how funny the woman who blogged about it was so I decided to try it and make it my own. The major differences I made were adding Cayenne Pepper, Adobe seasoning and one of my own favorite Latin seasonings that I use for virtually everything. I also chose not to use green or red peppers which I think would have been nice but I wasn’t in the mood for those flavors. I also did use 2 cans off beans but I think that may have been too much for this soup so I would suggest only using one. I also don’t like avocado or sour cream, but I’m sure for those who like them, they would make lovely garnishes.

You can check out the original recipe here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/chicken-tortilla-soup/ and I also posted it below with my changes highlighted. I wish I had remembered to take pictures but unlike my professional blogger friends, I just didn’t even think to do it. I promise next time I will though! I hope you like it and I will blog again soon… or relatively soon!

INGREDENTS:

§                     1 lb whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

§                     1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

§                     1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin

§                     1 teaspoon Chili Powder

§                     1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

§                     1/2 teaspoon Salt

§                     1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper if you want a slight kick to your soup

§                     1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

§                     1 cup Sliced or Diced Onion

§                     3 cloves Garlic, Minced

§                     1 can (10 Oz. Can) Tomatoes And Green Chilies

§                     32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock (or you can use water and bullion cubes as I did)

§                     3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

§                     4 cups Hot Water

§                     2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained (I think it will be better with only one also use Goya)

§                     3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa

§                     5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

FOR THE GARNISHES:

§                     Sour Cream

§                     Diced Avocado

§                     Diced Red Onion

§                     Salsa Or Pico De Gallo

§                     Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

§                     Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, stir for a bit then add minced garlic. (The original recipe had green and red peppers in it as well but I chose not to use them)

Pour in tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Once all is stirred together nicely add shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered. (I was impatient and really only waited 20. I was hungry!)

Sprinkle cornmeal or Masa over the soup and mix in nicely. It’s important to sprinkle it because if it falls in clumps it will stay in a clump. (I used Masa because what Salvadorian doesn’t have Masa in their pantry? Cormeal is for all the Mexicans, yes folks I was just Latin American racist. :-P) Simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. (This is the point where I added some Cayenne Pepper to give it a kick.)Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. (When I turned off the heat I added some cilantro to mix in with the soup. It really added a nice touch) Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips. Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (I only use some Cheddar Jack cheese and crispy tortilla crisp and it was just amazing!)