Most of the Mexican restaurants now offer a version of it. The other day I went through the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru, because I'm addicted to their spicy chicken sandwich and the waffle fries. And sure enough, Chicken Tortilla Soup is now on their menu! My wife has tried it, and it's really not that bad.
Now I'm all for a spicy soup, and this one's hearty enough to be a meal all by itself. But if you want it to be an appetizer for some Enchiladas, Tamales, or any other fare, do it! If you have about 30-45 minutes, the stovetop version is great. But if you're like the rest of us and have tight time constraints, then try out the Crock Pot version and tell me what you think. I really like the taste of the marinade on the chicken breasts, but if you are under time constraints, you can just cook unmarinaded breasts instead. Just add the cumin and chili powder that you would use for the marinade directly into the soup.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Marinaded Chicken1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
Juice from one lime
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholulu, Tapatio, Tobasco, or your favorite)
1 teaspoon chipotle sauce, from a chipotle can or a bottled sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Soup Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 clove of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find them)
3 14 ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholulu, Tapatio, Tobasco, or your favorite)
1 can black beans (drained of any juice)
6 ounces can tomato paste
2 cups water
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1/4 cup corn or vegetable oil
8 corn tortillas (4 for soaking, 4 for crispifying)
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large ziploc bag and squish around to combine. Add the chicken breast and seal the bag. Set in your fridge to soak in the goodness for at least 15 minutes, overnight or 24 hours is even better.
When you're ready, bake, grill or pan-fry the chicken breasts until fully cooked. Shred the chicken breasts into small bits and then set aside.
Slice your tortillas into small strips. For the ones to soak, cut them in half, then cut them into 1/4 inch strips. For the future crispy ones, cut the tortillas in half and slice into 1/8 in strips. Set the soakers aside.
In a large saute pan or stockpot, saute the onions over medium heat until they become translucent. Add the minced garlic and tomatoes and stir for another 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth (WATCH OUT FOR STEAM!) and then add all the spices. Bring to a boil. Add the beans and the shredded chicken and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
While simmering, combine the tomato paste and water in a bowl. Once well blended, add the cronstarch and mix again. Now pour the mixture into the rest of the soup and stir. This is where you would add the half-and-half if you want the creamier version. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
At this point, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add half of the 1/8 inch tortilla strips and allow them to fry up. When they become cripsy, remove and lay on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining strips.
After the last simmer is complete, add the 1/4 inch unfried tortilla strips into the soup and let them soak for about 5 minutes before serving up the soup. Garnish with cilantro, some cheese and sprinkle on the cripsy tortilla strips.
CROCK POT COOKERS:
You can also make this in the crock pot in just a few hours (or all day of you want) There are a few alterations that have to be made for the long cook time, the lack of the chicken breast marinade and the evaporation of the liquid...
Soup Ingredients
6 ounces can tomato paste
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 cups water
Juice from one lime
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 clove of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find them)
4 14 ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce (Cholulu, Tapatio, Tobasco, or your favorite)
1 can black beans (drained of any juice)
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
Tortilla stuff
1/4 cup corn or vegetable oil
8 corn tortillas (4 for soaking, 4 for crispifying)
In a small bowl, mix the tomato paste and the cornstarch, to prevent lumps when you add it to the other ingredients. Then quickly saute the onions. Add all of the soup ingredients directly into the crock pot and stir. Set on low and allow to cook for 3-4 hours (longer is just fine).
Fifteen minutes before serving, scoop the chicken breasts out of the soup. Shred them with a pair of forks and add them back into the soup.
Slice four of the corn tortillas into 1/4 inch strips and add to the soup. Slice the other four into 1/8 strips and fry in a small saute pan with some oil until they are crispy.
Serve the soup garnished with cheese and/or sour cream with the crispy tortillas spread on the top.
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