Chicken Tortilla Soup - A Max & Ermas Copy!

I used to be obsessed with going to Max & Erma's to get their Tortilla Soup and Salad combo. It's a spicy, creamy comfort soup that becomes an expensive addiction if you aren't careful! So I went on the hunt for a copycat recipe of it. Some time doing a bit of research later, and mixing a few things around - BAM. Now, when I make soup, I MAKE soup. I like to make enough to have some in the fridge, and in the freezer so on cold Fall and Winter nights, we can defrost some and stay warm. This recipe will do that for you!

Why don't we get to the recipe then, as I know you have been drooling over this picture while reading the first paragraph!

Here's what you will need:

• A medium size stock pot and blender
• 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz cans)
• 2 cans of Cheddar soup (10 3/4 oz cans)
• 4 cans of Cream of Chicken soup (10 3/4 oz cans)
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 10oz can of rotel tomatoes (the ones with chilies)
• 2 4oz cans of diced chilies
• 1 jar of hot (or medium) Picante salsa
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 lb of cooked chicken diced
• Shredded colby jack cheese
• Tortilla strips

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken in oven safe dish and cook for 45 minutes

2. As chicken is cooking, combine all soups in the stock pot. Whisk together until combined.

3. In your blender, puree the Picante, chilies and Rotel tomatoes

4. Add the puree and the chicken broth to the soup and stir together. Mince the garlic and add that and the onion powder in

5. Add in the chicken and two small handfuls of the shredded cheese and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for an hour

6. Garnish with cheese and tortilla strips

I gave my husband a spoonful before he left on his boys night and he said it was great. He turned back around and said "can I have some more?!" I am pleased with the way this came out. It is pretty thick and since I haven't had the soup from the restaurant lately, I am not sure if it is too thick or not. I am going to ask hubby for his opinion when he has a whole bowl of it (probably tomorrow!), and if he says that it is too thick, I may throw it back in the stock pot and add some more chicken broth. Other than that, SUCCESS! 

Enjoy! 

"Only the pure in heart can make a good soup"

Ludwig van Beethoven

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