Yucatan Chicken-Lime Soup

(This is a recipe from my friend Christy. The first time I made it was this last december. It really is SO good!)

This is SOOO good. I make it with small amounts of broth and lots more chicken. So if you want it more soupy (brothy) just add more broth.

4 small Corn Tortillas, cut into small strips
1 large Tomato, halved crosswise
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium Onion finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced (YES 8!)
2-8 serrano chile peppers, thinly sliced.
2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts (Boil with Salt and Lime Juice forst to give it more flavor, then shred it)
2 Bay Leaves
6-8 Tablespoons Lime Juice (I usually go with 8 adjust to your taste preference)
3 Tablespoons Dried Cilantro
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Arrange Tortilla Strips on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Over a small bowl, grate each tomato half on the coarse side of a hand grater. Discard the skin.
4. Heat Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and chile peppers. Cook for 4 minutes, or until onions are soft but not brown. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, chicken, and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the lime juice and the dried cilantro. Season with Salt and Pepper. Remove Bay Leaves and discard. Taste and add more lime juice if desired. (You shoud be able to taste the lime.) Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with some tortilla strips.

Serves 4.
389 calories, 10.5g Fat.

I add sour cream to the top of each serving, which hlps it its a bit too spicy. Any leftovers are excellent for chicken quesadilla fillings. Just add some chopped green chiles, and drain the broth, if there's any left.

(I use green chile rather than the chopped serrano chiles in this recipe. About a 1/4 - 1/2 cup should be enough. Remember start out small and add till you get the amount of heat you like.)