An alternative for cooking this soup is to put all the ingredients except the lime juice, tostada, and cilantro in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8

• 1 whole chicken (precooked)
• 1 cup dry black beans
• 1 medium-sized white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3 medium-sized red tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups canned (and drained) or frozen corn
• 6 cups Chicken Stock
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 4 Tostadas
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves

1. If necessary, roast the chicken for 3 hours in 350° oven.

2. Soak the beans overnight in 3 cups water.

3. Remove the skin from the onion and garlic. Chop the onion into ¼-inch pieces. Mince the garlic. Remove the stem and core from the red bell pepper and chop into ¼-inch pieces. Chop the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces.

4. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut into 1-inch cubes, discarding the bones.

5. Combine all the ingredients except the lime juice, tostadas, and cilantro in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in the lime juice right before serving.

6. Break the tostadas into small pieces. Cut the stems from the cilantro. Sprinkle the tostada pieces and cilantro leaves on the soup before serving.