Tortilla Soup

The name of this  Rachel Ray soup is actually, are you ready?... Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe-Tastic Tortilla Soup!!!!  I have never been to Santa Fe, but I thought my tastebuds would like to make the trip. The trip was well worth it if you love spicy soups!! This recipe was rated #28 in Rachel's Top 100.  This soup is not exactly a "30 Minute Meal", as it took me closer to an hour with all the chopping, grilling, etc.   I am particpating in  the Celebrity Chef Cook Along at Happier than a Pig in Mud.  Go there & check out all the other great Rachel Ray recipes.

Ingredients

• Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted
• 1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
• 1 pound chciken breast tenders (I used skinless, boneless breasts)
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market 
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces
• 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces (I just used regular tortilla chips)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Optional garnishes:

• 1/4 red raw onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
• 1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

Heat a grill pan to high 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. Remove charred skin from the pepper.  (I did all this on my gas grill).

While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons 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 and 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. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

As a side note:  You can freeze the leftover chipotles by placing individual ones on wax paper, placing on a tray, freeze until firm & then place in freezer proof bag.