Avocado Chicken Corn Chowder

Since my boyfriend and I have started living together, we have been cooking a lot together! It's really fun to see how well we work together in the kitchen, plus we get to try lots of new recipes! We all know that soup season is in full swing, and where I am in LOVE with soup, my boyfriend is more of a fair weather fan. I have been trying to find more hreaty soups that can serve as a meal, besides chili, and this definitely made the cut. But, if you decide to make homemade tortilla strips for the soup's garnish, be sure not to get distracted, causing them to set on fire in your kitchen. Not like I did that or anything. Nope. If this happens, store bought tortilla chips will suffice. (See above picture)

Avocado Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 serrano pepper
• 4 avocados, peeled and seeded
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups sweet corn
• 2 grilled chicken breasts, chopped
• 4 corn tortillas
• coconut oil

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and heat until starting to soften and brown. Turn the garlic once in awhile to get all sides. When they are starting to get soft, add the whole serrano to the pan and blister on all sides. Remove the garlic and pepper from the pan and let cool enough to handle.

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the diced onion, cook until beginning to carmelize, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the pot and place in a blender.

Peel the garlic and place in the blender. Peel and discard the blistered skin from the serrano, remove the seeds from the inside and add the skin to the blender. Leave the seeds for added heat.

Add in the avocados, lime juice and zest, coconut milk, cumin, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of chicken broth to blender. Whirl until completely smooth. 

Add the avocado mixture back into the soup pot over medium heat to heat through. Add the remaining chicken broth to the pot and bring to a broil. Lower to a simmer and let the soup reduce down and thicken, about 20 minutes.

Add in the corn and chicken. Letting them heat through, another 5-10 minutes. Serve in bowls topped with homemade tortilla strips, and any leftover chicken or corn.

**To make the tortilla strips, cut tortillas into thin strips, brush each side with coconut oil. Bake at 350 degrees on a non-stick baking sheet until golden brown.**

Different lighting gave the soup different coloring, but it was a vibrant green from the ripe avocados!