Chicken Tortilla Soup

Justin loves the Chicken Tortilla Soup at McAlister's Deli, so I found a copycat recipe. I altered the recipe a little bit, and this is what I came up with. This is a recipe I'll make again. It makes a lot--6 or 8 servings.

A few notes: The recipe called for creamed corn, but I think regular corn would be better. Also, I threw some leftover black beans in my bowl, and that made a good addition. I measured the salsa over the pot and accidentally poured almost the whole jar (way more than 1/2 cup) into the soup, but it turned out okay. Der.


CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
20 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup salsa
1 (8.5ounce) can creamed corn
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 (1.27 ounce) packet dry taco seasoning
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in the butter or margarine for 5 minutes.
2. Add flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more.
3. Add the broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Add the soup, salsa, corn, chicken, cumin, taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Stir and continue to heat for 15 minutes.
4. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each bowl with crumbled chips, shredded cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve.