Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe sounded rather a lot like my Chicken Barley Chili, except for no barley, salsa, or water. As this soup was coming together, I couldn't resist, so in went a cupful of salsa. Which just added to the flavor impact. Wow, from the first spoonful to the last, this soup was like a fiesta in my mouth!

It was so easy to put together, I can see why it is planned for a family gathering. Not a lot of prep and everyone has a nice selection of toppings for their soup. I am definitely adding this recipe to the "what to cook for a crowd" list, as we all yearn for this COVID-19 season of separation to come to an end, so that family and friends can once again gather safely. 

Speaking of COVID-19, my husband and I try to limit our interaction with the public, including grocery store trips. We have a well-stocked pantry and use that as often as possible, to eliminate unnecessary grocery trips. So, in place of the roasted chicken, I substituted canned chicken breast meat. I reasoned that it would be equally as tasty as a roasted chicken, with all of the seasonings. And it was great! In fact, all of the ingredients were found in our pantry except lime juice, shredded cheddar cheese, and avocados, which we usually keep stocked in our fridge as they are favorite foods. And I substituted parsley where the recipe calls for cilantro, because parsley grows in my herb garden. What a great "Stay Safer at Home" recipe straight out of the pantry! Thank you, Mary Herman (author of recipe)!


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