This divine soup is scented with chili, cumin, and coriander and topped with all kinds of deliciousness, like avocado and tortilla crisps. This is one of my favorite soups of all time.
6corn tortillas(halved and cut crosswise into thin strips)
To Serve (Optional, Pick and Choose)
1 or 2avocados(peeled and diced)
1cupshredded Monterey Jack cheese
½cupcoarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
1lime(cut into wedges)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender and golden, 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and chile powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer over high heat.
Add the chicken breasts and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered (don’t let the soup come to a boil), stirring occasionally, until the chicken is just barely cooked through, about 12 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and let sit until cool enough to handle. Keep the soup gently simmering over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, pour the oil to a depth of 1 inch into a medium-size skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Line a plate with a couple of paper towels. When the oil is hot, add the tortilla strips in batches and fry, stirring often, until they are crisp and lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the plate and sprinkle lightly with salt while they are still hot.
Shred the slightly cooled chicken, and stir it and the lime juice into the soup.
Ladle the soup into soup bowls and top with the fried tortilla strips, along with your choice of diced avocado, cheese, cilantro, salsa, and lime wedges.
Notes
Shortcuts and Tips
Skip the frying of the tortillas, grab a bag of tortilla chips, lightly crush a few handfuls, and use those instead.
You can use about 3 cups of plain shredded cooked chicken, maybe from a rotisserie chicken, instead of cooking the chicken in the soup.
In Mexico, whole chilis may be used, often toasted and then crumbled into the soup. I rely on dried chili powder, pure ancho if you can find it, but in this recipe, regular blended chili powder also works just fine.
Make Ahead and StorageYou can make the soup ahead through adding the shredded chicken and keep it refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat, adding the lime juice when you are ready to serve (and, of course, prep the toppings and hold to the side until just before serving!). You can also make the fried tortilla strips a few days ahead and keep them in a tightly sealed container.