TORTILLA LIME AND CHICKEN SOUP

Submitted by: John Frick


**Ingredients**

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup chopped onions 
2 teaspoons chopped garlic 
1 green bell pepper 
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
6 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth 
2 bay leaves
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 
Pepper to taste
Crumbled tortilla chips


**Directions**
In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. 
Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. 
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 
Add the chicken stock and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. 
Simmer for 20 minutes. 
Add the chicken (and cheese tortellini) and simmer for 10 minutes. 
Add the cilantro, pepper, and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and 
cover to keep warm.

Add the crumbled tortilla chips instead of crackers.

Enjoy!

Notes:
For the cooks among you, try this wonderful recipe for tortilla lime and chicken soup.  
I got the basics from Food.com and added some of my own ideas.
I made it this weekend (after raking leaves in light rain/snow) and it was GREAT.  
Slightly spicy.  The lime gives the soup a great flavor.

As an option, I included a small package of small cheese tortellini (thawed) when 
I added the chicken.