Category: Soup

An incredible Albondigas soup which is a traditional Mexican
meatball soup loaded with vegetables and full of if a light broth.
Servings: 6
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Ingredients For Meatballs
1 lb ground beef extra lean, or 1/2 lb beef & 1/2 lb spicy sausage
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup rice long grain, uncooked (I used Basmati)
1- 2 egg beaten
1/4 cup mint fresh, chopped
1/4 cup parsley fresh, chopped
1/4 cup oregano fresh, chopped or about 1 tbsp dry oregano
1 tsp cumin ground
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
For Albondigas soup
2 tbsp olive oil
½ – 1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2
1 bay leaf (remove after soup is cooked)
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 large carrot chopped to your liking
2 celery stalks, chopped lg.
2 medium Russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
6-8 cups beef or chicken broth low sodium
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
Optional:1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro fresh, chopped
Instructions
In a bowl add all the meatball ingredients together and mix well. Shape into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. You should get about 25 to 30 meatballs, depending on how big
you make them. Place meatballs in fridge until ready to add to soup.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom 5 qt pot to medium heat. Add onions and garlic and
cook until onion is translucent, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add chopped carrots
and potatoes to pot and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until you get a nice caramelization
going.
Add the tomatoes, broth, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil and turn down heat and let
simmer for about 5 minutes.
Make sure the soup is lightly simmering when you go to add the meatballs. This will ensure
that they start cooking immediately instead of just sitting in the broth.
Add meatballs to pot one at a time, slowly. Using a wooden spoon slowly stir. Cover and let
cook over low to medium heat for another 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Add lemon juice and herbs and taste and adjust for seasoning.
Recipe Notes
If you have extra meatballs or don’t use them all, you can place them in an airtight container and freeze them until ready to use.

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cups Frozen Southwest vegetable blend (or 1 cup southwest corn drained & 1 cup black beans).
1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
1 tablespoon ground chipotle chili pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Tortilla strips, diced avocado and chopped cilantro, optional

Directions
Combine shredded chicken, chicken broth, Vegetables, both cans of diced tomatoes, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, and cumin in a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir everything together and cook until heated through and flavors have combined, at least 20 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese, and sour cream. Nutrition information: 236 calories, 11g carbs
For slow cooker:
• Step one
Spray inside of 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken, frozen vegetables, undrained tomatoes, chili pepper, cumin and broth in slow cooker.
• Step two
Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from slow cooker; pull into shreds with 2 forks. Return chicken to slow cooker. Stir in lime juice. Serve and top with tortilla strips, avocado and cilantro, if desired.

Don’t even get me started on tortilla soup or albondigas soup for that matter. I love it! – I love it! – I love it!. Just for the record, (albondigas” means “meatballs” in Spanish and tortilla soup means a great vegetable and chicken broth soup with fried or baked corn tortilla strips on top). Despite its somewhat lengthy ingredient list, this recipe is very easy to prepare. If you desire a soup with mild spiciness, trim the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño (or omit the jalapeño altogether) and use the minimum amount of chipotle in adobo sauce. The tortilla strips and the garnishes are best prepared the day of serving.

Tortilla Strips

8          corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1          tablespoon vegetable oil
Table salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread tortilla strips on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated. Bake until strips are deep golden brown and crisped, about 14 minutes, rotating pan and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through baking time. Season strips lightly with salt; transfer to plate lined with several layers paper towels.

Soup Ingredients:

2          split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds), skin removed and well trimmed of excess fat
8          cups low-sodium chicken broth
1          very large white onion (about 1 pound), trimmed of root end, quartered, and peeled
4          medium cloves garlic , peeled
8 – 10  sprigs fresh cilantro
1          sprig fresh oregano
2          medium tomatoes , cored and quartered
½         medium jalapeño chili
1          chipotle chili en adobo , plus up to 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (usually comes in a small jar or in a can in the Mexican food section of the store.
1          tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste

Garnishes
1          lime , cut into wedges
1          Hass avocado , diced fine
8          ounces cotija cheese , crumbled, or Monterey Jack cheese, diced fine
fresh cilantro leaves
minced jalapeno pepper
Mexican crema or sour cream

Directions:

While tortilla strips bake, bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, epazote, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil over medium-high heat in large saucepan; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids in strainer. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard bones.

Puree tomatoes, 2 remaining onion quarters, 2 remaining garlic cloves, jalapeño, chipotle chile, and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce in food processor until smooth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering; add tomato/onion puree and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has darkened in color, about 10 minutes. Stir strained broth into tomato mixture, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Taste soup; if desired, add up to 2 teaspoons additional adobo sauce. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place portions of tortilla strips in bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls; pass garnishes separately.

Makes about 9 cups, serving 6

Per Serving:

Cal 250; Fat 7 g; Sat fat 1 g; Chol 45 mg; Carb 26 g; Protein 21 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 460 mg