Tortilla Soup By Tracia Food

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Start by mixing together the cumin, 1 teaspoon of the chilli powder, the garlic powder and salt. Drizzle the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Set the rest of the spice mixture aside. Bake until the chicken is cooked all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Cut the chicken into cubes and set aside.
• Next, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Throw in the onions, green and red bell peppers and garlic. Throw in a tablespoon of the spice mixture used to season the chicken. Add a little extra chilli powder (about 1/4 teaspoon) for heat. Stir to cook the vegetables until they begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cubed chicken and diced tomatoes, juice and all. Add the chicken broth, hot water and tomato paste. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the drained black beans. Next, mix together the cornmeal with 1/2 cup water. Add the mixture to the pot, and then simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add salt or seasonings as needed; be sure to not under salt it!
• Cut the tortillas into uniform 2- to 3-inch strips. Stir most of them into the soup just before serving. This is what makes tortilla soup tortilla soup! Turn off the heat and get ready to serve it up. Ladle the soup into a bowl, then add avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro and extra tortilla strips to the top. The more toppings on tortilla soup, the merrier.

CLASSIC TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup: Heat a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, tomatoes, onion and New Mexico chile in the pan. Using tongs, turn the vegetables occasionally during cooking to ensure charring on all sides. Remove the vegetables once slightly blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the peel from the garlic. Add the charred vegetables to the blender with the tortilla pieces and 2 cups chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and add the remaining 4 cups chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• For the tortilla strips: In a medium, heavy skillet, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• To serve: Ladle the soup into 6 individual serving bowls. Serve with sour cream, avocados, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

THE WORLD'S BEST TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cans of chicken broth and canned tomatoes. Add fresh tomatoes.
• Mix Anaheim chile peppers, jalapeno pepper, cumin, chili powder, and pepper into the pot. Stir in chicken. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer soup until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls; twist 1 lime wedge into each bowl. Top with corn chips, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, avocado slices, and cilantro.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Put the chicken, the beef bones if you're using them, 3 of the onion quarters and the garlic in a large pot. Add water just to cover (about 10 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently. Cook, skimming the foam off the surface every now and then, until the chicken is very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, put the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry 2 of the tortillas (one at a time if necessary), turning once, until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per tortilla. Drain on paper towels. Cut the 4 remaining tortillas into strips, add them to the skillet and fry, stirring to separate them, until crisp and golden, another 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while they're still warm.
• When the chicken is tender, transfer it to a plate or cutting board with tongs or a slotted spoon (or put it in the fridge or freezer so it cools faster). When it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bones and the skin. (If you used beef, discard it or save it for another use.)
• While the chicken is cooling, strain the stock and discard the solids. Peel the remaining quarter of an onion and put it in a blender with the chipotle, 1/4 cup of the cilantro and a sprinkle of salt. Crumble in the two whole fried tortillas and add enough stock to fill the blender a little more than halfway. Purée until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
• Pour the purée and remaining stock back into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, taste and add more salt if necessary. Divide the avocados, the cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro among 4 to 6 bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with the fried tortilla strips. Serve immediately with lime wedges if you like.

TRISHA'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion and saute until softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more. Add the broth and the half-and-half. Stir in the cream of chicken soup, salsa, chicken, beans, corn, cumin and fajita seasoning. Continue to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Crumble the tortilla chips into individual bowls and top with a ladle of soup. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and add a dollop of sour cream.

MAURICIO'S TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup: Put the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl and add the seasoning mix, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove to a plate.
• Next, add the garlic, bell peppers and onion to the pot and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Add the browned chicken, chicken stock, hot water, tomatoes and green chiles, green chiles, chipotles and adobo sauce. Stir in the black beans and bring to a boil.
• Mix the masa harina with 1/2 cup of water and add to the soup. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes; the soup will thicken ever so slightly. Add the lime juice and taste, then adjust the seasoning as needed.
• For serving: Stir in most of the tortillas just before serving.
• Serve, topped with the remaining sliced tortillas, scallions, sour cream, pico de gallo and queso fresco.

TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium-high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill pan. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.
• While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken. Add zucchini, onions, garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.
• Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

MEXICAN CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan with the whole and dried chillies, garlic, coriander stalks and cinnamon, cover with cold water, then set over a medium heat. When the liquid comes to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 30 mins, then turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the stock to cool for 20 mins.
• Remove the chicken, strain the liquid into a large jug (you should have about 800ml) and discard the aromatics. Return the liquid to the pan and simmer until it has reduced to about 600ml, then pour back into the jug.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan, add the onion and cook for 8-10 mins until soft and translucent, then stir in the spices, tomatoes and sugar. Add the chicken stock to the pan, season well and simmer with the lid ajar for 30 mins.
• While the soup cooks, remove the skin from the chicken and finely shred the meat. Add to the soup along with the sweetcorn, beans, lime zest and juice to taste (save a little to toss through the avocado), and cook for 5 mins more.
• Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add the tortilla pieces. Fry until golden and crispy, then drain on kitchen paper. Halve and peel the avocado, cut into small chunks and toss through the remaining lime juice. Serve the soup in bowls topped with the crispy tortillas, coriander leaves, sliced chilli, avocado and feta.