Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you're like me, then you frequently buy roasted chickens at the grocery store because you can't handle how good they smell when you walk past them.  If it weren't taboo (or illegal) I would stop what I was doing, open the plastic lid, and eat a drumstick with my bare hands right there in the market.  Instead, I put the chicken in my cart like a law-abiding citizen, purchase it, and take it home with all sorts of plans in my head.  A pre-roasted chicken is really the best shortcut when it comes to making salads, sandwiches or soups.  Like this light and creamy tortilla soup, which would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo, by the way.  With only a couple of tablespoons of cream, you don't have to feel guilty eating bowlfuls of this... and you will eat bowlfuls, it's very delicious.  We topped ours with avocado, queso fresco and crispy leeks.  Go forth, and steal- buy, buy a chicken!   

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
(Serves 6-8)
Printable Recipe

2 T olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 T all-purpose flour
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 T half and half (or heavy cream, or milk)
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups shredded roasted chicken
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.  Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes.  Add cilantro, ground seasonings and salt and pepper.  Saute for a few minutes more.  Add flour, and sauté for one more minute.  Then add tomatoes, and bring to a simmer.  Add cream and stir until combined.  Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil.  *Remove from heat, and with a handheld immersion blender, puree until desired consistency is reached (I like mine still somewhat chunky).  Return pot to a low simmer (medium or medium-low), and stir in chicken and corn.  Simmer slowly for 15 minutes.  Serve with toppings of choice!

*You can skip this step if you don't want a creamy soup.  And if you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer soup to a blender to puree, working in batches.