Chicken Tortilla Soup

"Make me something spicy" says my sick daughter who is coming home for Thanksgiving.  This is what I came up with.

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 green bell pepper

1 onion

1 jalapeno pepper 

1 clove garlic

Tops & leaves of about 3 celery stalks

4 skin on bone in chicken thighs

1 cup chardonnay

1 small can cream corn

1 small can tomatoes and chillis
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ancho chilli powder 
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Chipolte powder*
  (I get all my spices from Penzeys)
2 T olive oil
4 Corn tortillas

Heat the pan.  Add 1 tbl olive oil to pan.  I use an iron cast kettle.  Dust the chicken thighs with a little ancho and chilli power, salt and pepper.  Brown them in the pan.  Cut off the parts of the peppers you wouldn't normally use and throw in the pan.  You can add the rest of the pepper later or use them for something else.  Cut the onion in 4 pieces and throw that and the garlic clove  and celery leaves in there, stir them around so they are covered in oil and chicken grease.  Add some salt and pepper and the rest of the spices.  Add wine and simmer until it is really thick and before it burns and sticks to the pan - about 10-15 minutes.  You have to stay and watch it.  Then add 4 cups of water, turn down to a low simmer, put the lid on and go take a nap for an hour or so.

When the chicken is cooked after an hour or so, take the chicken out and strain out the vegtables.  Take the skin and bone out of the chicken and put it back in the broth.  Now at this point you can saute the rest of the peppers and add them if you want a more chunky soup but I didn't do that this time.  Add the canned tomatoes and cream corn, add another cup of water, bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for another half an hour.  

Preheat oven to 400.  Brush olive oil, salt and chilli powder on about 4 tortillas, bake for about 10 minutes.  Cut in strips when baked.  Put strips in a bowl.  Pour soup over it.  Good for what ails you.

PS If you can't handle the heat, leave out the jalapeno and the chipolte.  Ancho and cumin is not hot.