Tortilla Soup
This soup is delicious, authentic tasting, easy to make, and you can plate it like a professional chef. It’s great for a weeknight meal and looks impressive enough to make for a dinner party. My favorite thing about this dish is the perfect balance of flavors and textures – tangy, spicy soup, crunchy chips, silky avocado, juicy chicken and soft, mild cheese. Don’t let the butter in this dish scare you away. Check out Pam's butter post. This soup makes up to 8 servings so you’re getting less than a tablespoon of butter per serving.
Ingredients
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
pinch Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and coarsely chopped* see note below
4 cups chicken stock (Progresso or Swanson preferred)
6 T unsalted butter
2 teaspoons lime juice
¼ to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh black pepper
4 cups shredded chicken, from one 2 1/4-pound rotisserie chicken
crumbled queso fresco (if you can’t find queso fresco crumbled feta cheese will do)
cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, 8 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle chiles*, 4 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very soft, 30 minutes.
Carefully ladle half of the soup into a blender and add half of the butter. Puree until smooth. Pour the pureed soup into a large saucepan.
Repeat with the remaining soup and butter.
Check the consistency of the soup. I like it to have a slightly thicker consistency, enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you want a thinner soup, simply add more stock.
Add 2 teaspoons of lime juice.
Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or more to your liking. Grind in some pepper.
Ladle soup into a shallow bowl. Top with ¼ cup shredded chicken, few tablespoons cheese, few cilantro leaves, avocado slices and tortilla strips. Add some drops of sauce from the chipotles for wow factor.
*Note, canned chipotle chilies can be spicy. If you want the dish milder, add just 2 to 3 chilies. Keep in mind however that the chipolte chilies are what give this soup it’s unique, Mexican flavor. Canned chipotles in adobe can be easily found in most supermarkets.
Tortilla Strips
If you want to skip making your own tortilla strips, simply use crumbled up store-bought tortilla chips. Keep in mind that homemade strips are thinner and longer and therefore look better when plating.
6 corn tortillas, halved and thinly sliced
In a skillet, heat 1/4 inch of grapeseed or avocado oil to 350 degrees.
Add half of the tortilla strips and fry over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the strips to paper towels. Season with salt. Repeat with the remaining strips.
Servings: 6-8
Time: 1 hour
HEARTFUL RECIPE - Butter in moderation is fine, unless you are completely dairy-free. Skip the tortilla strips as well if you're avoiding corn. - One of our real food recipes that focuses on veggies, protein, healthy fats and/or healthy carbs and doesn't include gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, corn or peanuts.
