Must Have Soup! Chicken Tortilla Soup!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4.50 from 2 votes

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Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 to 3   cups of chicken cooked and shredded
• 6 corn tortillas diced
• 1 small white onion diced
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper minced
• 1 small red bell pepper diced
• 4 Roma tomatoes diced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro more for garnish
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• 1½ garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 7 to 8 cups chicken broth
• Olive oil

Garnish with:

• Fried tortilla strips
• Avocado slices
• Crema
• Lime wedges
• Cilantro
• Diced Jalapeño
• Shredded or crumbled cheese

Instructions

Directions

• In a large pot, heat about 3 tablespoons of oil to medium heat. Add the corn tortillas and cook until the tortillas start to crisp up. Add the onion, jalapeño and red bell pepper, cook for 3 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, cilantro, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, adding a little bit of broth. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well to combine, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Taste for salt before serving.
• For vegetable variation of the soup: Add 3 carrots, 1 small yellow squash, 2 stalks celery, and 2 cups fennel. Slice all of the veggies into slices or bite-size pieces. Follow recipe as usual, adding the vegetables at the same time you add in the onions. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Mexican style soup recipes are delicious! Mexican style soups with fresh garnishes are amazing!!!

Tomatillo Poblano Tortilla Soup is a green version of my tortilla soup recipe from above. All you have to do is switch out the red tomatoes and red bell pepper for green tomatillos and green poblano pepper! It’s a tasty variation to the original.

Tips~ For a Rock Star version of Chicken Tortilla Soup, take the time to prepare some homemade chicken stock. Purchase a whole chicken cut up, poach it for an hour at a simmer. Add salt,onion, carrot, celery, bay  leaves, peppercorn, garlic and dried chile de arbol while poaching the chicken. Remove chicken and shred the meat. Strain the stock, cool then chill overnight and remove fat from top layer before using for your recipes. You will not regret taking the time to do this.

Tortilla Strips

Ingredients

10 to 12  corn tortillas
2 cups canola oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a small, heavy sauce pan preheat oil to medium/high heat for 10 minutes. Divide the tortillas into 2 equal stacks. Cut in half, then stack again. With a sharp knife, cut into thin strips.

2. When oil is ready (at least 350 degrees), add 1/3 of the tortilla strips to oil. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels. Using a metal spider, turn strips in the oil. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to lined cookie sheet to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt while the strips are still hot. Continue frying until all strips are done.

3. Let the strips cool completely before storing in a plastic storage bag. I like to use the strips to garnish my favorite soup and salad recipes. Yields up to 6 servings.