Guest Author - Monica Talley

South of the Border Tortilla Soup

Serves 4

2 cups frozen corn
1 zucchini, small dice
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
4 cups blue corn tortilla chips

Optional ingredients:
¼ red raw onion, chopped
2 to 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of ½ lemon
1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
½ cup sour cream

Heat a skillet to high and a soup pot to medium high. Mix together corn, zucchini, onion, and garlic. Saute vegetables until charred marks form, but watch closely. While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 Tbs. oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Add seasonings: poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 5 minutes or until chicken browns on the outside. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a slow boil, reduce heat to medium low. Add cooked vegetables and roasted red bell pepper. Add chips to soup and gently fold in to incorporate. Serve in individual bowls. Serve optional ingredients on the side for guests to top their own soup.