Chicken Tortilla Soup

Every time I go to Nashville, going to Mas Tacos is an absolute necessity. The more times, the better – I would go for every meal. Their chicken tortilla soup is to. die. for. I saw a few recipes online that people said were amazing so I wanted to give it a try making some at home since I don’t know when I’ll get back down to Nashville. This may be the most intense recipe I’ve ever made… although that isn’t saying too much, so don’t be scared off yet. But this is completely worth the time to make – so, so good!!

white bowl of soup on striped linen with crisp tortilla strips next to it

Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients:

  • chicken breasts
  • water
  • onion
  • carrot
  • garlic
  • dried chipotle chiles
  • jalapeño
  • cilantro
  • limes
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil
  • flour tortillas
  • frozen corn
  • cherry tomatoes
  • avocado
  • queso fresco
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
Soup
  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 16 cups water
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
  • 1 jalapeño (with seeds), halved lengthwise
  • 10 cilantro sprigs
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Garnishes
  • vegetable oil
  • 3 flour tortillas, cut in 1/2" strips
  • 2 cups frozen corn, thawed (since there is sadly no corn on the cob around here currently)
  • fresh cilantro
  • cherry tomatoes, halved
  • avocado, cut in slices
  • queso fresco, crumbled
  • lime, cut in wedges
Instructions
Soup
  1. Bring chicken, onion, carrot, garlic, chipotles, jalapeño, and 16 cups water to a boil in a large soup pot; skim foam from surface.

  2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, continue to skim the surface throughout, until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

  3. Transfer chicken to a plate.

  4. Shred chicken meat and set aside.

  5. Strain broth into another large pot. Discard remaining solids.

  6. Set pot with strained broth over medium heat, and add cilantro sprigs. Bring broth to a simmer; cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 45 minutes.

  7. Discard cilantro sprigs. Stir in 3 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

  8. Add chicken to broth.

Garnishes
  1. Pour oil into skillet to a depth of 1″. Heat over medium heat.

  2. Work in small batches to fry tortilla strips, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown.

  3. Using a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt.

  4. Cook thawed corn kernels in a large skillet over high heat until charred in spots.

  5. Rewarm broth with chicken. Divide soup among bowls. Top generously with corn, tortilla strips, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, queso fresco, and an additional lime wedge.

I made the soup steps beforehand and covered and kept chilled until the following day. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Barely adapted from Bon Appetit.

white bowl of chicken tortilla soup on striped linen towel
overhead shot of soup surrounded by toppings and garnishes on white wood board

xo. Caitlin

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