Tortilla Soup from Everyday Food

Prep: 30 minutes Total: 30 minutes
To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls, and then let everyone pick and choose from among the suggested mix-ins and toppings: toasted corn tortilla strips, lime wedges, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, diced green peppers, sliced scallions, diced avocado, and cilantro sprigs. You can also use leftover or store-bought roasted chicken in this soup; use two quarts homemade or reduced-sodium canned chicken broth instead of the cooking liquid.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• FOR THE SOUP
• 4 (about 1 1/2 pounds) skinless chicken thighs
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 jalapeno chile, diced (with seeds for more heat)
• 6 corn tortillas, (6 inches)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• salt
• FOR GARNISH
• 1 cup shredded (5 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 large scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
• lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, bring chicken, broth, jalapeno, and 8 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool.

Brush both sides of tortillas with oil, stacking them as you go. Cut stack in half, and then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place strips on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing strips occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Using a large spoon, skim fat from surface of broth in pot, and strain liquid through a sieve into a clean pot (you should have about 8 cups). Shred chicken with a fork or with your fingers, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Divide soup among serving bowls, and add tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

From Everyday Food, May/June 2003