When the skies are grey, there’s always tortilla soup to warm up your world.
This is a satisfying, light soup that is very easy to make. Your friends and family will create their personal bowl of joy by adding their favorite embellishments.
Cooking the chicken breasts in the broth gives it a splendid homemade flavor.
This soup with a salad makes a meal. Expand it with ease for a crowd.
Ingredients
serves 6
2 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
2 tablespoons vegetable oil + more for frying tortilla strips
8 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
½cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
In a large soup pot pour in 2 tablespoon of the oil and turn the heat up to medium.
Once the oil is hot stir in the onions and tomatoes and cook until the onions just begin to become translucent.
Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the chicken breasts. Turn heat up to medium high.
When broth comes to a boil allow the breasts to cook for about 25 minutes, then remove them from the broth. Turn off heat.
Allow chicken breasts to cool. When cool, shred chicken breast meat (discard bone and skin).
This portion of the recipe can be done up to the day before, chicken and broth can be stored in refrigerator until ready to serve.
To make tortilla strips, pour enough oil in a sauce pan so that it is at least one inch deep. Heat over high heat. Test the oil by dropping in a small piece of tortilla, when it dances and bubbles, the oil is ready.
Place a small handful of tortilla strips into the oil. Don’t crowd the strips, they should have room to move around in the oil.
After 1 – 2 minutes turn strips over using tongs.
When stiff and golden brown, remove tortilla strips using tongs and put on a plate covered with paper towels to drain.
Fry the rest of the strips, salt and toss.
When ready to serve, heat the chicken broth to just boiling, add in shredded chicken and heat through.
Add fresh cilantro.
Set up a buffet with tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, chopped green onions, lime wedges, favorite salsas and hot sauces.
Invite diners to take a bowl and add their embellishments of choice (tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, a squeeze of lime, etc.), then ladle soup over the top and enjoy.
For a printable version of this recipe, click on the foodista widget below.
What a fun meal for an easy dinner with guests. I think people love when they get to customize!!