Chicken Tortilla Soup

this is my favorite chicken tortilla soup! it has awesome flavor!

you can make a huge batch and freeze it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 medium stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

½ jalapeno chile with seeds, thinly sliced [leave out seeds if you don't like it heat!]

1 tsp ground cumin

1 carton [32 oz - 4 cups] chicken broth

1 ½ cup water

1 cup fresh corn kernels [about 2 ears, can use frozen as well]

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 cup (½” pieces) skinless rotisserie chicken meat [I use crock pot shredded chicken]

½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

2 plum (roma) tomatoes cut into ½ “pieces

1 ripe medium avocado, cut into ½ inch pieces

Lime wedges

Tortilla chips [or homemade tortilla strips]

In 5 to 6 qt sauce pot, heat oil over low heat until hot.  Add garlic, carrots, celery, onion, and jalapeno and cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes or until veggies are tender, stirring frequently.  Add cumin and cook 30 seconds, stirring.  Add broth and water to veggie mixture; cover sauce pot and heat to boiling over high heat.  

Stir corn kernels, lime juice, chicken pieces, and chopped cilantro into broth mixture in sauce pot; heat to boiling over high heat.  Remove sauce pot from heat; stir in chopped tomatoes.

Ladle soup into warm large soup bowls; sprinkle with avocado pieces.  Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over soup.  Accompany with tortilla chips to crush into soup.