Ingredients for Soup:
(Heaping) cup coarsely chopped onion (Ruth's job)
3 Tbls vegetable oil (may require a little more)
5 corn tortillas coarsely chopped
6 cloves minced garlic (more is fine, less is unacceptable)
1 Tbls chopped cilantro (or more!)
10 3/4 oz cans of tomato puree
2 quarts chicken broth
2 Tsps of chili powder
1 Tbls cumin
1/8 Tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
2 skinned, boned chicken breast halves, chopped
Directions:
Chop onion and set aside. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chopped tortillas, garlic and cilantro until tortillas are soft. Add chopped onion and cook a little longer before adding tomato puree, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stick bay leaves in your ears (they will do as much good here as they do in the soup). When you are ready to serve, heat the soup through and add chopped chicken, warming until chicken is warm.
Directions for garnish:
Cut 5 or more tortillas into thin strips and fry in hot oil over medium high heat. HINT: to get them crispy you will need to wait until the oil is very hot, and don't try to cook too many at once. Garnish soup with tortilla strips, cubed avocado, shredded cheddar cheese (sharp) chopped cilantro. Enjoy immensely.
