Tortilla Soup

One of the best things that happened when I married my husband is this soup.  Stu came up with a good recipe from playing around and now his mom makes it all the time.  I was in love with it the first time I ate it and it is still a dreamy comfort food of Mexican fare that satisfies that spicy craving without being quite as heavy as your typical enchilada or puffy taco (don’t get me started- yum).  It is pretty common on most Tex Mex menus to include a tortilla soup: a rich tomato chicken broth swimming with chicken, peppers, tortilla strips, avocado, and a dollop of sour cream.  No I’m not sure that this is a common soup to Mexico, but in Texas you will see it all over.  Our little family is a major fan of any and all variations on Mexican, and Stu and I have frequently had conversations, or nostril-flaring wranglings, over which state actually produces better Mexican food: my California or his Texas.  While there isn’t a term for Cal Mex, I will say Tex Mex wins if the competition involves this soup.

This dish feels so simple to execute mainly because you are making a salsa base thinned with chicken broth, and then chopping up toppings to put on the table so people can choose their own adventure!  Stu always tells people the essential elements that make it taste the way it should, are avocado, mozzarella cheese, chicken, and sour cream.  For me, I need everything in there.  It is all deliciousness.

Here is my cute little senorita, Julia.  She is always helping me in the kitchen.

I’m intense about a really good soup base, so I always slow simmer my rotisserie chicken with onions, celery hearts if I have them on hand, a big pinch of black peppercorns, a bay leaf, and some bouillon to start.  I let it work its magic and get all the flavor out of the bones for 2-3 hours.  This is not an essential part, but does yield a broth with such a wonderful richness.  If you are skipping this part, just pick off the chicken meat, shred by hand, and use more bouillon to get the taste you’re after.

Tortilla Soup

Soup Base

chicken bouillon

8-10 cups water

rotisserie chicken

2-3 lbs. vine-ripened tomatoes

2-3 jalapenos

2 onions

2 heads garlic

2 T cumin

2 T chili powder

salt to taste

Soup Toppings

peppers (I like a variety of colors)

avocados, chopped

shredded mozzarella cheese

tortilla chips

sour cream

cilantro

1. Slow simmer the rotisserie chicken in a large stockpot with water for 2-3 hours.  Drain the soup broth out into a large bowl and pick out the good shredded chicken from the tenderized chicken body.  Cover and set aside to serve with the other toppings.  Discard any remains, and wipe out the pot.
2. Chop onions in large dices, and put on a broiler pan or cookie sheet coated with olive oil.  Cut the jalepenos in half, remove seeds, and add with the onions. Remove peels from garlic and throw them whole with the other vegetables.  Roast under a broiler for  7-10 minutes until there is some good blackening.
3. Skim the top layer of fat off the soup broth and return to the large stockpot.  Add more water if needed, and add chicken bouillon and salt to taste until it has a basic flavor you are happy with.  
4. Do a rough chop on tomatoes, add to a blender with a ⅓ of the roasted vegetables.  Blend until pureed and smooth.  Do additional batches until you have everything smooth and then poured into the soup base.  I often wait to add the last couple jalapenos so I haven’t made the soup too spicy.  
5. Add the cumin and chili powder and taste.  You are going for a thinner salsa feel with a good hearty flavor.  Take a ladle full of soup and add more jalapenos to the blender if you want more kick.  
6. Chop bell peppers, avocado, cilantro and put in serving bowls.  Add all other toppings to serving bowls and you’re good to go!  Put desired toppings in bowls and ladle over the broth and enjoy!  :)