Chicken Tortilla Soup

Looking for a great meal on a chilly Taco Tuesday?  This is the recipe for you!  I just made this soup for the first time (Feb 2020) and I can't believe what I'd been missing - it's full of flavor with just the right balance of heat and richness.  Enjoy!

I adapted this from a quick 30-minute recipe on the Avery Cooks blog - here's the original: https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-30-minute-homemade-chicken-tortilla-soup/  She takes way-better food photos than I do!

Tortilla Strips

10 small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chili peppers (or 1 can for more heat)
2 tsp. minced (jar) garlic
32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes and juice (I used petite diced, no-salt-added)
one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (use storebought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken in a skillet)
1 can gold & white corn (that's one can with gold and white in it!)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
1 tsp. dried cilantro
diced avocado for serving, optional for serving
shredded cheese, optional for serving
sour cream, optional for serving

1. Tortilla Strips – Preheat oven to 375F, line a baking sheet with foil to save cleanup time, loosely scatter the tortilla strips, evenly drizzle with olive oil, evenly sprinkle with kosher salt, toss with hands to coat evenly, and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden brown; set aside. While strips bake, begin making the soup.
2. Soup – To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
3. Add the onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
4. Add the garlic and green chilis and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
5. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cilantro, optional cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Ladle soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips to taste, optionally garnish with avocado, cheese and/or sour cream; serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Extra tortilla strips will keep in airtight at room temp for up to 5 days.