Recipe for Tortilla Soup

An all time favorite, tortilla soup is comforting, easy to make, super frugal and down right delicious!

Here’s is what you are going to need:
1 whole chicken breast
4 scallions (2 cut in half for the stock and 2 for garnish)
6 garlic cloves ( 2 smashed and 4 finely chopped)
1 celery stalk with leaves
1 small carrot, peeled
1/2 bunch cilantro (1/2 of it minced for garnish, the other 1/2 whole)
8 cups water
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup grated Monterrey cheese
8 corn tortillas, cut into strips*
Vegetable oil
Salt & Pepper
Lime wedges

WHEW! Seems like a lot, huh? Well, let’s start with the chicken stock. Wash and pat dry the chicken breast. Put it in a stock pot with the scallions, smashed garlic, celery, carrot and the whole cilantro. Add the water and season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook stock for 1 hour, making sure to skim off the foam from the top.

While the stock is cooking, heat a large frying pan with about 1 inch high oil. Make sure it gets really hot. Working in batches, deep fry the tortilla strips separating them so they don’t stick. When browned remove them form the frying pan and place them on paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt.
*If you would rather purchase tortilla chips from the grocery store knock yourself out. Simply replace the tortillas for a bag of tortilla chips. No problem!

Heat some oil in another pot. Add the onions and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the jalapeno peppers, cumin and oregano. Mix well and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and blend – or, if you have a hand blender, go ahead and blend it in the pot.  You can skip this step if you want.  I like to blend the tomatoes so my soup is creamier but it is not absolutely necessary.

Remove the chicken from the stock and shred it. Discard all the veggies and add the stock to the tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and make sure it dissolves well. Add the corn. Cook for 15 more minutes.

Serve the tomato soup in a bowl. Add the shredded chicken and garnish with chopped scallions, cilantro, shredded cheese and diced avocados. Top with your tortilla chips and serve with lime wedges! Enjoy!

Print the Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe Here

Other Mexican Recipes:
Carnitas
Refried Black Beans
Red Enchilada Sauce
Cheese Enchiladas
Beef Fajitas
Chicken Fajitas
Chile Verde
Marinated Carne Asada
Mexican Rice
Turkey Chipotle Tortilla Soup
Arroz con Leche
Chicken Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde
Flan
Red Beans & Rice