Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS

2 fresh corn tortillas
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil

Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 teaspoons chilli powder – optional
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
11⁄2 litres chicken stock
400 grams skinless chicken breast
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 x 400 gram tin black beans, rinsed and drained

Garnish
2 tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
150 grams sour cream
fresh coriander leaves
lime wedges

METHOD

Cut the tortillas in half then into thin strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan and when hot cook the strips in batches until a pale golden colour. Drain on paper towels.

Soup: Place the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, chilli powder, cumin, tomato paste and the bay leaf and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Season and add the chicken breast. Cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the chicken and let it cool a little then shred into thin strips. Add the corn to the soup and simmer until tender.

To serve: Divide the chicken and black beans between warm soup bowls and ladle over the hot soup. Place each of the garnishes in a separate bowl and let each diner add their own selection. Squeeze a wedge of lime over each bowl of soup before eating. Serves 4-6