Recipe: Tortilla Soup with Chicken and Lime and Baked Tortilla Strips

TORTILLA SOUP WITH CHICKEN AND LIME

"This recipe from Bon Appetit in their Best of The Year issue caught my eye and I tried it last week. It has a great flavor and the tortilla strips add a nice crunch."

FOR THE BAKED TORTILLA STRIPS:
4 (5- to 6-inch) diameter corn tortillas
2 teaspoons olive oil
FOR THE SOUP:
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) low salt chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup canned Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with juices
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
12 ounces skinless boneless chicken, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
2 green onions sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush one side of tortillas with oil; cut in half. Stack halves and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Spread strips on a nonstick baking sheet.

Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.

Combine broth, 2 cups water, tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, cumin and red pepper in saucepan bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer five minutes. Add chicken; simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with tortilla chips and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Denis B, Burlington VT, 1996