Jenna's Chicken Tortilla Soup
Story time! Right after college, I packed my car and drove to Austin, Texas. I’d wanted to escape the PNW and land in “the South.” I lined up a freelance sports writing job, a nonprofit job, and an interview at Starbucks (being a barista was on my bucket list). After barely scraping by, a co-worker at one of those jobs suggested I become a tutor and mentor in the University of Texas Athletic Department. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed moonlighting there, and that job allowed me the opportunity to access the same job boards as graduating athletes. (Wow. I had a lot of jobs in a short amount of time!)
Are you still with me? I’ll wrap it up. From there, I landed my first “real” job--one that would earn me a single paycheck--at a TV news station. I wanted to work in print journalism, but I thought working behind the scenes as an “online editor” (that term seems sooo antiquated now) would give me great experience. More than that, this job gave me some of the best friends and lasting memories of my twenties and probably my whole life.
I met many women who define the word “inspirational.” One of those ladies was reporter and anchor Jenna Hiller. Jenna showed me what confidence looks like with her “take no BS” attitude, her commitment to her work, the way she’d get to the bottom of stories, and how she’d crack up all of us in the newsroom with her sarcasm. I can still visualize her impeccable wardrobe and her tiny Mercedes-Benz, too.
Now Jenna’s a mom of two, and in her free time she styles her beautiful Texas home over at @livedinlovedin. She shared her chicken tortilla soup with me recently, and now I’m sharing it with you. Works great in a Crockpot, also!
JENNA’S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
(Note: For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and swap veggie broth for he chicken broth.)
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno (seed removed), diced
½ cup flour
*3 teaspoons hot sauce (*optional)
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons lemon pepper
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
~40 ounces chicken broth
~2 cups shredded cooked chicken
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute vegetables until they begin to soften. Add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. (Note: For a thinner soup, you can omit the flour.) Stir in spices, hot sauce, and salt. Add diced tomatoes, broth, and chicken, if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with any of the following toppings: Tortilla chips or broken chalupa shells, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, cilantro, sour cream.
