Chicken Tortilla Soup
Market Kitchen
Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is a versatile soup that lends itself well to many preparations and styles.
Basics: A flavorful chicken or chicken/beef stock, shredded cooked chicken, peppers, tomatoes, smoky pepper flavor (i.e. canned chipotles, dried chipotle powder, roasted peppers, paprika)
Texture: This soup can be served as a broth based with tortillas added on top to thicken the soup or the vegetables can be pureed with tortillas to make a creamy base.
Try adding: tomatillos or winter squash as part or tomatoes and puree
Ingredients:
- 3-4pound whole chicken
- 1medium onion, quartered leave the skin on
- 1head garlic, halved across the equator leave the skin on + 1 clove peeled garlic
- 4 carrots quartered, leave the skin on
- ¼cup vegetable oil, or more as needed
- 6corn tortillas
- Salt, to taste
- About 1 Tbsp Chili powder
- About 1 tsp cumin
- ½ lb sweet peppers
- 1 small hot pepper
- 5 cups petite diced tomatoes (fresh peeled, if possible)
- ½cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Lime wedges for serving, optional
- 3-4pound whole chicken
- 1medium onion, quartered leave the skin on
- 1head garlic, halved across the equator leave the skin on + 1 clove peeled garlic
- 4 carrots quartered, leave the skin on
- ¼cup vegetable oil, or more as needed
- 6corn tortillas
- Salt, to taste
- About 1 Tbsp Chili powder
- About 1 tsp cumin
- ½ lb sweet peppers
- 1 small hot pepper
- 5 cups petite diced tomatoes (fresh peeled, if possible)
- ½cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Lime wedges for serving, optional
Directions:
- Put the chicken, 3 of the onion quarters, carrots and the garlic in a large pot. Add water just to cover (about 10 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook, skimming the foam off the surface every now and then, until the chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (can also be done in a crockpot)
- Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry the tortilla strips, until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
- When the chicken is tender, transfer it to a plate or cutting board with tongs or a slotted spoon (or put it in the fridge or freezer so it cools faster). When it’s cool enough, shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bones and the skin.
- While the chicken is cooling, strain the stock and discard the solids.
- Dice and mince the remaining onion and garlic. Dice the sweet peppers. For the hot peppers, clean the ribs and seeds for a milder soup or leave them in-tact for a hotter soup.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook onion, garlic and peppers until soft. Add tomatoes and spices and cook until tomato juice has evaporated. (at this point, choose to have a broth base or puree the cooked veg. with broth and tortillas)
- Pour stock into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Garnish with cilantro, tortilla strips and lime wedges.
- Put the chicken, 3 of the onion quarters, carrots and the garlic in a large pot. Add water just to cover (about 10 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook, skimming the foam off the surface every now and then, until the chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (can also be done in a crockpot)
- Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry the tortilla strips, until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
- When the chicken is tender, transfer it to a plate or cutting board with tongs or a slotted spoon (or put it in the fridge or freezer so it cools faster). When it’s cool enough, shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bones and the skin.
- While the chicken is cooling, strain the stock and discard the solids.
- Dice and mince the remaining onion and garlic. Dice the sweet peppers. For the hot peppers, clean the ribs and seeds for a milder soup or leave them in-tact for a hotter soup.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook onion, garlic and peppers until soft. Add tomatoes and spices and cook until tomato juice has evaporated. (at this point, choose to have a broth base or puree the cooked veg. with broth and tortillas)
- Pour stock into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Garnish with cilantro, tortilla strips and lime wedges.
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