By Alyssa Rae
Chicken Tortilla Soup
5 steps
Prep:20minCook:1h 20min
This version of tortilla soup arises from a dish served at the Rose Garden restaurant in Anthony, Texas. We’ve streamlined the original recipe, using chicken legs as the base of the stock, pulling off the meat when it’s tender, and adding couple of beef bones to give the broth extra depth. Laila Santana, whose mother, Dalila Garcia, owns the Rose Garden, told us the recipe lends itself to improvisation. That it does, so feel free to tweak it to your tastes.
Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:43:34 GMT
Nutrition balance score
Good
Glycemic Index
47
Low
Glycemic Load
13
Moderate
Nutrition per serving
Calories569.5 kcal (28%)
Total Fat39.4 g (56%)
Carbs28.2 g (11%)
Sugars1.2 g (1%)
Protein25.6 g (51%)
Sodium378.2 mg (19%)
Fiber3.9 g (14%)
% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients
6 servings
2.5 poundschicken thighs
bone-in, or legs
1 poundbeef bones
or a cut of beef with a lot of bone in it like short ribs, optional
1onion
medium, quartered leave the skin on
1 headgarlic
halved across the equator leave the skin on
¼ cupvegetable oil
or more as needed
6corn tortillas
salt
2 tablespoonschipotle chilies in adobo
canned, or to taste
½ cupfresh cilantro
chopped
2avocados
pitted, peeled and cubed
4 ouncescheese
plain, melting, like mozzarella not fresh, Oaxaca or Jack, shredded or cubed
lime wedges
for serving, optional
Instructions
Step 1
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.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
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.)
Step 4
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, ¼ 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.
Step 5
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 ¼ 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.
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