Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

If it is Autumn, it must be soup weather, right?  Well, temperatures have dropped recently, and it feels good to have a nice warming bowl of soup for dinner. This is a tasty tortilla soup. Enjoy!

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

2 15 oz. cans chicken broth

1 15 oz. can chili beans (do not drain)

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with chipotle

1 15 oz. can kernal corn

1 10 oz. can mild Ro-tel

½ cup onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup tortilla chips, crushed

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 bay leaf

Olive oil

Shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, scallions, soup crackers, chopped cilantro, sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add canned ingredients, chips and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. The chips will dissolve and thicken the soup. Add cooked chicken, and cook until heated through. Remove bay leaf before serving. Add optional toppings if desired.