Every now and then a recipe comes across and it is universally loved. This is one. I like to make it for people who have never had it, just to see if they will be the first not to like it.
Oh sure, friends are polite and will eat something and nod, “Mmmm, yeah, this is nice,” and you know they’re being kind. (By the way, thank you… you know who you are.) And then there are recipes like this chicken tortilla soup recipe that completely knock your socks off.
It’s got it all. It’s got some heat; it’s got big chunks of hearty chicken to bite into; it’s got some corn for sweetness, and lime for a little zing-wal-e-maly!
Truth be told, the first several times I made this Chicken Tortilla Soup, I was a little heavy handed on the chipolte in adobe sauce. It took an additional 3 quarts of chicken broth to tame the heat on that pot so we’d no longer be spewing flames. Some people like it hot, our clan prefers to eat things that don’t hurt us. I’m just sayin’.
My girlfriend, Deb is very generous with her recipes. She’s a really good cook, she loves to entertain, and loves cook for her friends and family. God bless her! She gets together with her daughters and girl friends a couple times a month and cooks up a storm for the up coming week or two.
They make things they can freeze and pull out to make dinner easy. They get the tunes cranked up, wine is poured, they chat and laugh. When the work is done, they go for a boat ride or make a bonfire if the lake is frozen. Brilliant!!!
I need to ask if I can join them… hmmm. Yeah, maybe this Sunday we can make a big vat of Chicken Tortilla Soup (which freezes oh so nicely!)
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kasher salt
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 ripe tomato diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- lime wedges for garnish
- sour cream for garnish
- white queso crumbled (optional)
- 12 tortilla chips for garnish (optional)
Equipment
- soup pot
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chipotle, chili powder, and salt. Stir until the onion softens about 5 minutes.
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Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the corn, stir, and simmer another 5 minutes.
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Turn off the heat. Stir in the fresh tomato, can of diced tomatoes, chicken, cilantro, and lime juice.
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Garnish with more fresh cilantro, a teaspoon of sour cream, lime wedge, queso, and tortillas (if using).