Recipe: Tortilla Soup

Summary: Delicious hot souptortilla_soup

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • vegetable oil
  • 2 onions – chopped
  • 4 hot peppers – chopped (be smart here and taste the peppers as you use them to make sure that you’re soup isn’t too spicy for you)
  • 4 chicken bouillon
  • 4 garlic cloves – crushed
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 3 tbs. ancho chili powder
  • 3 tbs. smoked paprika
  • 1 chipotle pepper
  • 3 tbs. adobe sauce (from chipotle can)
  • 5 cups water
  • corn tortillas (6 whole tortillas, 2 tortillas cut into 1/4 inch strips)
  • 1 medium tomato – chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro – chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese – grated
  • 1 avocado – chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat saute pan to medium high and cook chicken thighs until juices run from the top of the chicken. Set chicken aside and let cool. Shred chicken when it has cooled.
  2. In small saute pan (big enough to fit a corn tortilla) add vegetable oil so that the oil is 1/2 inch deep in saute pan. Turn heat to medium high. When oil begins to faintly smoke add a corn tortilla. Let the tortilla fry until it is golden – then flip. Cook until the other side is golden. Take out tortilla and place on paper towel on a plate to let the oil drain. At the end – add the corn tortilla strips and these will fry up quickly – so keep a watchful eye.
  3. Heat wok on high heat. When hot add 3 tbs. vegetable oil. Add onion and hot peppers. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Add crushed chicken bouillon, crushed garlic. Cook for a minute. Add cayenne, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika and chipotle. Cook for a few minutes. Add water bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add crushed tortillas. Cooked for 1 minute. Blend soup. Dump soup back into wok and add shredded / chopped chicken.
  4. Place soup in bowls.
  5. Top soup with chopped tomato, cilantro, shredded cheese, corn tortilla strips and chopped avocado.

Quick Notes

For avocados I halve the avocado and take out the pit. Then using a not too sharp knife I slice the avocado both ways. Then using a spoon I take scoop it out of the skin. Then it’s ready to add to the soup, salad – whatever.

Be generous with the toppings that you add to the soup. It adds texture and flavor contrasts to your soup.

Variations

Add more or less hot peppers depending on your love of spicy. I like spicy – but if i’m serving it to anyone besides me, I have to tone it down for my guests.

Cooking time (duration): 60 min

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: Mexican

My rating: 5 stars: ★★★★★

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