Spanish Chorizo Chicken Chili

This is one of my very favorite freezer soups. I love it. It has a nice strong flavor and is quite hearty with all the meat. It's a perfect soup for colder months and pairs well with French bread. Rachael Ray really does have some great recipes.

Spanish Chorizo Chicken Chili

I always make a double batch and freeze it in quart bags. I have a couple adjustments:

• I use bite size chicken breast pieces instead of the ground chicken.
• Cook the chorizo in a separate pan rather than with the chicken as the recipe says. Chorizo has a great flavor, but it is seriously greasy. You want to drain the grease. Cook it in a separate frying pan while the chicken cooks, then mix together after draining.
• I leave out the sherry and most of the hot sauce.
• I use a jar of roasted red peppers instead of the piquillos.
• I use plain old cheddar on top instead of the Manchego. I don't use Spanish olives because I don't like the flavor.
• IMPORTANT: You can't substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika. The smoked paprika makes this soup so enjoyable. I bought a large container at Sam's Club about a year ago and it's almost gone. I'm sad to report they don't carry it anymore. It's a hard spice to find. When you find it buy lots. I use it in tons of stuff--anything with a Mexican/Southwestern/Spanish influence. I love the smokey flavor.