Spanish Style Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium-size carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons (about a palmful) chili powder
1 bay leaf, use fresh if available
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) chicken stock
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1 pound chicken tenders or chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size pieces
2 28-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup corn, frozen or fresh
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
For garnish:
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
A couple of handfuls of blue or red corn tortilla chips
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Heat EVOO in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, onions, chili powder and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package instructions adding the chicken pieces during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking along with the tomatoes, corn and beans to heat through.

Ladle a portion of soup in a bowl and garnish with sliced scallions and tortilla chips. Serve with lime wedges to add a zip.