The Ultimate Chicken Tortilla Soup: A Hug in a Bowl

• A Brief History of Sopa de Tortilla
• Why is This Comfort Food So Popular?
• The Soup To Beat All Soups
• Step-by-Step Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
• Tips for Perfect Soup Every Time
• Make It Your Own: Customizing
• Slow Cooker Instructions
• Storing and Reheating
• Serving Suggestions

A Brief History of Sopa de Tortilla

Before we start ladling out the soup, we need to know where it came from. Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Sopa de Tortilla (sometimes called Sopa Azteca), has deep roots in Mexican culinary history. While the exact origin is often debated, it is commonly associated with the region around Mexico City and parts of central Mexico near there.

Historically, this soup is a classic example of make-do cooking. Originally it was a way to make use of stale corn tortillas that had been left over from other meals. Instead of throwing them out, the cook took a trip to market and fried them up until they were golden brown and crisp - then used as garnish in a tomato-chili based broth. In addition over the years chicken was added; so too were avocadoes, cheese, all kinds of chilies and now we have this multi-taste sensation that was to become our famous repast.

The soup is even more dear to Mexicans' hearts than their own small families. Those who do not have a pepper garden could borrow the extra pungent heat from a tamarind soup in the belief that you would at least not be reborn as a servant girl in Peking. This hot dish, eaten together by strangers, is traditionally called "family soup".You don't need a recipe. Just follow your nose, and it will be right there for you.

Why is This Comfort Food So Popular?

And why do so many people all over the world “like” this soup in particular, to the point that they feel compelled to tell their friends about it?There are several reasons.First, it's a smorgasbord for the senses. This bright red soup has soft, silky lumps of chicken, creamy avocado, melting cheese and (most importantly!) crunchy fried tortilla strips. The texture contrast contributes greatly to how much we enjoy our food!

Second, you can cater it to any style. A homemade soup based on this idea isn't the sort of dish that comes out of the pot "all prepared". It's like an ice-cream sundae. You get to put your own toppings on it. You can select your own lime, cilantro, hot sauce or taste. This appeals particularly to families with young children and for a party.

Second, the soup is a great comfort food. For some reason, the combination of chicken broth, garlic and onions really seems to work wonders. In fact, there are a lot of these feelgood like soups also in Japanese cuisine such as that stimulation package instant noodles.

The Soup To Beat All Soups

What exactly are you going to need if you want to make delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup? The secret of good soup lies first in using good ingredients. You can often find most of these things in your kitchen.

• Tomatoes: Fire-roasting tomatoes adds a rich, smoky taste that regular dice is incapable of matching.
• Aromatics: Onions, lots of garlic, and jalapeño peppers are mandatory. They provide the essence that starts from the bottom and grows.
• Spices: Cumin, chili powder, dried oregano (if you can find Mexican oregano, so much the better) and smoked paprika.
• The Protein: Chicken: You've got options here: you can poach raw chicken breasts right in the broth for more flavor, or simply buy a rotisserie chicken to save time. Both ways work very well.
• Toppings (The Fun Part):
  • Tortillas: Corn tortillas are a must. Flour tortillas just don't fry up the same with that crunch or flavor.
  • Avocado: For creaminess.
  • Cheese: Queso Fresco, Cotija, or monterey jack.
  • Sour Cream or Crema. To cool down the spice.
  • Fresh Lime: The acid of the lime cuts through the richness and brightens the whole dish.
  • Cilantro: For that fresh, herbal finish.

Step-by-Step Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ready to cook? This recipe serves 4-6 hungry people, and comes from start to finish in around 45 minutes.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• For the Soup:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (save seeds if you like heat)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
  • 6 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
• For the Homemade Tortilla Strips:
  • 4-6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
  • Salt for seasoning

Instructions

• Add the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and jalapeño to the mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute--you want that aroma to be singable. But not too long because it will turn bitter quickly.
• The Spices Start to Bloom: Now add cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir constantly for about 1 minute. This technique of cooking the spices in fat before adding liquid is called "blooming". It activates the oils in the spices, so that their flavors are much more vivid.
• Make Broth: Add fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juice) and chilies, stirring to combine. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Cook the Chicken: Carefully lower chicken breasts into the simmering soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. You want the chicken cooked through tender. If you are using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, skip this step and just let the broth simmer for 15 minutes to blend the flavors, then stir in the shredded meat tofu at last/.ResponseEntityTypeError: unknown error: "then" is not defined
• Crisping Up the Strips of Tortilla: While the soup is turning, make your crunchy topping. In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Drop in one strip of the tortilla-if the oil starts to sizzle immediately, it is ready. Fry the tortilla strips in batches, until they are golden brown and crisp (usually 1-2minutes). With a slotted spoon, remove them and let drain on a plate covered a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt immediately while hot.
• Pull and Season: After the chicken is properly cooked (or has reached an internal temperature of 165°F), take it out of the pot and place on a cutting board. Two forks can be used for pulling meat apart. Over topof the cooked chicken, sprinkle fresh lime juice and cilantro that has been chopped until fine. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Bringing the Table: Spoon hot soup into bowls. Sprinkle over a generous amount of your homemade tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve without delay.

Tips for Perfect Soup Every Time

With only a good recipe, a few simple tricks can lift your cooking to another level 'restaurant'

• The Broth Takes on Thickness: If you find that thickening your soup is something you prefer, you may turn to this typical Mexican method. Put two soft corn tortillas into pieces, then blend with a cup of the hot broth and the tomatoes before adding to the chicken. Pour this mixture back into the pot. As the soup simmers, the blended tortillas will get to work thickening the liquid naturally, giving it a solid body and intense corn taste.
• Embrace the acid, do not shirk from it: Even if you're tempted to, leave the lime juice until the end. For all its richness, a savory soup sometimes tastes "strong" in your throat. The lime acid goes straight through this feeling of heaviness, giving the flavor more OOMPH as it pops out.
• Controlling Hot-and-Sweet: For mild tastes, adjust the recipe according to your own personal preferences, right down to whether you leave seeds in or out of that jalapeño.

Make It Your Own: Customizing

One of the best things about Mexican-inspired soup is being able to tweak it to suit what you have. This recipe is not hard to adjust according to a variety of dietary needs and cupboard shortages.

• The vegetarian way: Making this a vegetarian feast is easy: substitute the chicken broth for a rich vegetable stock. And instead of chicken, you can add black beans, sweet corn, diced zucchini, or roasted poblanos for flavor.
• "The Creamy" version: To make a creamy tortilla soup without the cream, try this: blend about 1/4 cup of raw cashews (soaked in water for an hour) with a cup of the broth, then stir it back in. Or, simply stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese at the very end of cooking. Our favourite method is to whisk in a half-cup of heavy cream then blend it back over heat briefly. This creates a luxurious, velvety texture that feels incredibly indulgent.

Slow Cooker Instructions

This is a perfect "dump-and-go" meal for busy days.

• Add the onion, garlic, spices, raw chicken breasts (cut into cubes) and tomatoes to your slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the chicken and shred it, then add it back to your pot.
• Just before serving the dinner, add lime juice and cilantro.
• Make tortilla strips fresh right before you want to eat them--they don't hold their crunch in the slow cooker!

Storing and Reheating

Like many soups, Chicken Tortilla Soup often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together.

• Refrigerator: Put leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the tortilla strips and toppings separated. If they are placed in the soup mixture, your tasty strips will go mushy (though some say they like this product!).
• Freezer: This soup freezes well. Let it cool completely and then package it in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. If there are dairy (cheese/sour cream) or avocado added to the soup, freeze those items separately rather than mixing them in with everything else; then add them fresh when reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Is there anything that goes well beside a masterpiece like this? At bottom, it is an all-in-one dish, but here are the fixin' s for any kind of party:

• Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites): One cup of corn salad with mayonnaise, lime and powdered chili is perfect alongside.
• Quesadillas: Cheese quesadillas, simple and flat, are great for dipping.
• Fresh-made Guacamole and Chips: Because one can never have too much avocado.
• Margaritas or Agua Fresca: This will provide delightful relief from the soup's heat.

So That Was a Pot of Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup is not only a recipe; it is a steady friend in the kitchen. When you are in a hurry towards dinner, when leftovers need to be polished off, or just once in while for relief from the endless parade of hot and spicy food--it never lets you down.

With this straightforward dish mastered, the possibilities are infinite. However you decide to serve it, whether you want it vegetarian or Japanese style, often as not--perhaps revealing the essential laziness of man--the upshot is inevitably one thing: complete satisfaction. So break out your pot, toast those tortillas, and discover for yourself one of the finest home-made soup ideas you could hope to taste.