Smoky Chicken Tortilla Soup

Total Time: 44 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices thick smoky center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• salt
• 3 -4 cups corn tortilla chips, lightly crushed
• 2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella cheese
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• chopped fresh cilantro

Recipe

• 1 in a pot, bring the broth to a simmer; add in the chicken tender and bay leaf; poach the chicken for 6-7 minutes.
• 2 while the chicken poaches, heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over med-high heat; add in the bacon; cook until crisp; then remove to a paper-towel lined plate with a slotted spoon.
• 3 drain off the excess fat, leaving 2-3 tablespoons in the pan.
• 4 add onion and garlic to the pan; cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce and the tomatoes.
• 5 remove the chicken from the stock, dice the chicken, then add it to the tomato mixture.
• 6 pass the poaching stock through a strainer, then add it to the soup; season to taste with salt.
• 7 place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl; cover the chips liberally with the smoked cheese.
• 8 ladle the hot soup down over the top; pass bowls of lime, red onion, cilantro, and the reserved bacon at the table to finish the soup.