Chicken Tortilla Soup

I am finally posting a recipe! I can't claim it as my own recipe but it is one of my favorite soup recipes. This is a Rachel Ray recipe so it has a fun name. This chicken tortilla soup is absolutely delicious and it's loaded with veggies! I don't put cheese and sour cream on mine just to keep it a little healthier. This is one of her 30-min. meals. I have actually gotten it down to 35 min. but it is worth it even if it takes a little longer to make.

Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe-Tastic Tortilla Soup

Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 Tbsp. -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream

3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted

1 red bell pepper, split and seeded

1 lb. chicken breast tenders

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. cumin

Salt and pepper

1 small medium zucchini, small dice

1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 to 2 chipotle peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped-- available in small cans in the Mexican and Spanish food section of market

1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces (I usually take some kitchen scissors and chop the tomatoes right in the can since I like smaller tomato chunks)

1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces

3 cups chicken stock

4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces ( I prefer regular round tortilla chips or I make my own by cutting tortillas in half and then into strips and frying them myself)

1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese

1/2 cup cour cream

Optional garnishes:

1/4 red raw onion, chopped

2 to 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat a grill pan to high (I cook the corn and pepper on the bar-b-que grill) and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes (Put the pepper in a Ziploc bag and close it. The steam in the bag makes it easier to remove the skin). Remove charred skin from the pepper.

While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 Tbsp. oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions, and garlic, add chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.

Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in (I put the chips as a garnish in each bowl. I don't like mushy chips.) Serve soup immediately with scatter of cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes (yummy with avocado).