Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup

It’s soup weather! There’s nothing like having a hot pot of soup simmering on the stove just waiting for you. My favorite kind of night is when I can put on my pajamas, light a fire, and sink into my cozy couch with a hot bowl of soup. It’s the best! And what makes it even better is when my kids actually like it! Now, that’s the avocado on top. Get it? Kinda like the cherry on top of a sundae? You get it.

Okay, so obviously if you look online for a Chicken Tortilla soup recipe you will instantly be overwhelmed with about a million and one recipes to choose from. Trust me, I’ve been there.

After a ton of research and recipe testing, I have finally created the best tortilla soup in the history of tortilla soup. It’s not your typical soup. It’s not what you would expect, but it packs massive corn tortilla flavor smack dab on your tongue.

Have a little trust and give this a whirl. I’ll fill you in on the secret…..

The secret is, to fry up strips of corn tortillas and then let them simmer with the veggies before blending them together in a blender.

Did I blow your mind? Or do you already do this? Am I late to this party as well? Most people just use the fried strips as a garnish but I’m going all in here. It’s what gives it that deep flavor! To me, it tastes truly authentic.

Let’s do this!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of Avocado oil
8 oz pack of corn tortillas
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 Teaspoon of fine black pepper
1 Medium-large onion chopped
5 Garlic cloves
1 Red bell pepper
1 Jalapeño pepper with seeds & membrane removed
1 28oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes
1 Teaspoon of cumin
1Teaspoon of coriander
1 Teaspoon of ground Mexican oregano
8 Cups of chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime
2 large chicken breasts
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can of black beans

Toppings:

Shredded cheddar cheese or paper jack cheese
Cilantro leaves
Sour cream
Avocado
Tortilla strips

Step 1:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. While the oil is heating up, cut the tortillas in half, and then cut the halves into 1/4- inch wide strips.

Working in 3 batches, fry the strips in the oil until they are lightly browned and crispy. Watch them closely because they can burn fast. Remove the tortilla strips from the pan and let them drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with salt. It’s best to do this while they are still hot, that way the salt sticks.

*Note* Do not throw out the oil you just used to fry the strips. The flavor from the tortillas in the oil will help deepen the flavor of the soup.

Step 2:

Now chop your onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Throw them in the pot with 1 tablespoon of salt and sauté them in the pot with the infused oil until they are translucent. About 8 minutes. Then add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Next add the black pepper, cumin, coriander, and ground Mexican oregano. Stir this around for about 1 minute. This will help “toast” the spices and draw out their natural oils. Next, squeeze in the lime juice, add the chicken stock, chopped cilantro, add the 2 breasts of chicken, 2/3 of the tortillas you fried up. Leave the rest for a topping garnish. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 25 minutes.

Step 3:

Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with a fork. Take the liquid from the pot that has the simmered strips in it and pour it all into a blender and blend until smooth. The corn tortillas will act as a thickening agent as well. Place the pureed soup back into the pot and add in your shredded chicken, can of tomatoes, and black beans. You could even add some corn at this point if you desire. Heat through for about another 15 minutes.

Step 4:

Pour into a bowl & top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!