Tortilla Soup Giraud

My dear friend, Manda, borrowed the recipe for this soup from Cooking with Texas Highways; and she turned it into something scrumptuous. Manda's concoction is totally mouth-watering delicious. I haven't tried cooking her soup, yet, but here's the recipe:

Tortilla Soup Giraud

Serves many...can be stretched far!!

1 1/2 medium onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
vegetable oil
2 carrots, sliced in thin rounds (I dice these...they cook faster that way)
1/4 bunch celery
2 potatoes, diced (Yukon Gold works well)
3 1/2 qt. chicken stock, heated
2 T. chili powder (more)
2 T. ground cumin (more)
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. granulated garlic
3/4 C. garbanzo beans (which is about half the can, but I use the whole can)
1 lb. cooked and boned chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste (a tablespoon?)

Garnishes:
tortilla chips (Tostito's Gold work best...they don't get soggy as quickly)
thinly sliced lime
avocado
Mexican blend cheese

I start this one by poaching 2 lbs. of chicken breasts in my big stock pot (about half full of water). I add some salt and a few bouillon cubes with the chicken. When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board so it will cool. When it's cool-ish I roughly chop and shred it with a sharp knife and a fork into bite sized pieces.

While the chicken is cooking:
Saute onion and green pepper in a small amount of oil 1 minute. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes; saute 2 minutes. Then add to hot chicken stock and add your spices; simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Stir in garbanzo beans, chicken and cilantro; heat an additional 5 mins. or until ready to serve. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with tortilla chips, lime, cheese and avocado.