Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Chicken "Tortilla" Soup is a staple in our home. My mom used to make this for my family all the time, before any of us discovered our gluten allergy. Although the original recipe, from Houston's Rotisserie for Beef and Bird restaurant, didn't actually contain tortillas, it was not naturally gluten-free. Since we loved this soup so much, my mom and I worked together to transform this into a gluten-free, grain-free recipe.

This soup makes great leftovers, and also freezes very well. My hubby and I often take a big batch with us when we go out of town. It reheats very nicely in the microwave, and still tastes great!

I highly recommend purchasing organic canned tomatoes, as well as free-range chicken and chicken broth. Make sure to double-check the ingredients in the chicken broth - it often contains corn (and sometimes wheat) in some form.

We love this Chicken "Tortilla" Soup - and I hope you do too!

Chicken "Tortilla" Soup (based on the recipe from Rotisserie for Beef and Bird)
3 Tbs olive oil or butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 ribs celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 16 oz bag carrots, peeled and sliced
2 lbs free-range chicken breast, diced
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes - NOT strained
1 32 oz box free-range chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Avocado, diced

1. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil or butter over medium-high heat in a large stockpot. Add garlic, celery, onion, and carrots and cook until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
2. In a separate skillet, heat just enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan. Add chicken and cook until browned.
3. Add cumin, chili powder, salt, and lemon pepper to chicken and stir to incorporate.
4. Add chicken mixture, tomatoes (with their juice), and chicken broth to the stockpot with the vegetables. Stir and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour.
6. Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado.