Tortilla Soup

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