Chicken Tortilla Soup

This past weekend we had a little tortilla soup party for a family gathering. It's a simple dish to prepare for a casual get together and would be great for a winter open house. The soup can be prepared in advance and allowed to simmer until serving time. Guests get to customize their soup by selecting their own toppings.

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups roasted chicken, shredded (cheat by buying a pre-roasted chicken at the grocery store)
• 3 cups peeled and diced tomatoes (canned)
• 12 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Anaheim chilies, seeded and diced
• 1 Jalepeno, seeded and diced (optional to add heat)
• 9 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2" strips
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Sea salt

Garnishes 

• Queso fresco cheese
• Lime wedges
• Diced avocado
• Chopped cilantro
• Tortilla chips (recipe below)

Directions

1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Sauté onion, garlic and jalapeño in oil until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer until softened, about 10 minutes.
   
2. Add the chicken broth, increase heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and add chicken. Salt to taste. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a small stockpot, pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2” inch and heat to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, drop in the tortilla strips and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried tortilla strips to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
   
4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with garnishes. 

Garnishes ready for the guests!