Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Soup
Main Description Here's the chicken soup cowgirls turn to when they get the blues!
Chef James Brockman gussies up his bordertown version with puréed tortillas that give a smooth-as-velvet texture to the still brothlike soup. "Pretty darn easy to make," claims James, who throws in cilantro, cumin, and chili powder for the all-important kick. Top with chips and serve with Chipotle Peppers Monkey Bread for a spicy treat.
- One 3-lb. whole chicken, rinsed
- water, to cover
- 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
- 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 ribs of celery, sliced
- 2 large carrots, peeled, quartered, and sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped, loosely packed
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 5 corn tortillas
Garnish Options:
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 lb. Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- tortilla chips or Fritos®
- chopped cilantro and diced onions
Fritos® is a registered trademark of Frito-Lay, Inc.
step 1Place the rinsed chicken in a 5-quart soup pot. Cover with water by 2 inches. Add the cumin, chili powder, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, oregano, and cilantro leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer the chicken for 30-45 minutes until tender and done.
step 2Remove chicken from the pot and cool slightly. Do not discard broth. While the chicken cools, soak the tortillas in 3 cups of the broth (inside the jar of the blender) for 5 minutes, then purée until smooth.
step 3Return the pureed tortillas to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
step 4When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, bones, and any fatty pieces from the chicken meat. Cut or pull the meat into bite-sized pieces.
step 5Add the chicken back to the soup pot with the broth and heat until hot.
step 6Peel and seed the avocado, then grate the cheese. Thoroughly wash cilantro and mince; finely dice onions. Ladle the soup into bowl and garnish with the chips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and onions. Serve and enjoy.
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Serving Size:
1 cup
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Calories
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320
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Calories From Fat
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180
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Total Fat
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20g
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Saturated Fat
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7g
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Cholesterol
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65mg
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Sodium
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220mg
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Total Carbohydrates
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13g
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Dietary Fiber
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4g
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Sugars
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2g
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Protein
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22g
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