Chicken Tortilla Soup

I will be straight up honest with you here. Whenever I would go to a mexican restaurant  and see chicken tortilla soup on the menu I was kind of disgusted. Don't know why, but it totally did some seem very appealing to me. I don't know if I have ever mentioned this before, but I am a very picky eater and not very adventurous at all when it comes to food. (and most things... I like to play it safe) Any who, my mother in law has made this soup several times, and well since I can't be rude and not eat any of it ,I did the polite thing and tried it. And guess what?! I LOVED it. (Don't worry MIL, you always make such delicious food!)  I don't know why I never thought it sounded very appetizing before. We had it for our Christmas dinner and my mouth has been watering for it ever since. I made it for a spa party I hosted the other night, paired with some layered bean dip and it was delicious! I kinda am wishing I had made up a double batch so I can eat left overs now!

Chicken Tortilla Soup 

Ingredients:

64 oz chicken broth or stock

1 rotisserie chicken with skin taken off and shredded or 3 pounds shredded chicken

1 yellow onion chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic

4 oz can of diced green chilies

15 oz can of stewed tomatoes chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Toppings:

Lime wedges

Green onion

Cilantro

Jalapeno or other fresh chilies

Chopped fresh tomatoes

Grated Cheese

Avocado

Sour cream

Chips or tortilla strips

Directions:

Saute garlic, onion, and bell pepper with 1 Tbsp olive oil. In a large sauce pan or crock pot mix together chicken broth, diced green chilies, stewed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and shredded chicken. Add sauteed garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Allow to simmer on stove for 30 minutes or in the crock pot on low for 1 hour. Add your choice of toppings and enjoy!