Tangy, spicy, and full of chicken flavor, my Chicken Tortilla Soup is a Mexican soup classic. It brings maximum flavor with minimum effort.
A spicy bowl of fun—Chicken Tortilla Soup. (All photos credit: George Graham)
For me, soup is a simple dinner meal that delivers flavor and comfort in a bowl. If you’ve spent any time at my Acadiana Table, you no doubt know my love affair with soup.
But, there’s one soup that ups the ante when it comes to both flavor and fun—Chicken Tortilla Soup. This soup celebrates life with its spicy attitude punched with the vibrant colors of a Mexican fiesta.
The South-of-the-border flavors of cumin, chili powder, and lime thickened with a big masa-infused jolt of ground tortilla chips give me reason enough to crack open an ice-cold Dos Equis. Oh yeah, it’s party time.
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup diced yellow onions
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- ½ cup diced green onion tops
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Bijol seasoning or annatto powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup yellow corn
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups tortilla chips
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 1 cup chopped avocado
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla strips
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in an aluminum foil-lined pan and bake until a meat thermometer registers 175ºF. Remove to a cutting board and slice into bite-size chunks. Reserve for later use.
- In a large pot with a heavy lid over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once sizzling, add the onions, celery, carrots, green onions, and garlic. Saute just until the onions turn translucent, about five minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, Bijol, garlic powder, and white pepper. Add the lime juice, tomatoes, corn, and chicken stock, and stir to combine. Lower the heat to a simmer.
- In the container of a blender, add the tortilla chips and a cup of water. Blend on high until the chips are pulverized. Add to the pot.
- Add the chicken thighs and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender. With two forks, shred the thigh meat and add the reserved chopped chicken breast meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Just before serving, add the cilantro leaves and stir. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped avocado, a lime wedge, and tortilla strips.
Latin spice infuses this soup.
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I am definitely trying this!!!!
Oh, my! I never heard of using the tortilla chips this way. I’m gonna’ turn the thermostat down and make this soup!
Thanks Kay!
Can’t wait to try this….soooo…I made my grocery list to purchase ingredients to make this soup and realized I don’t know what Bijol or Annatto seasonings are…honestly George, I’ve never heard of or used these two seasonings. Can either be found at a local grocery store (Rouse, Cannata’s, Winn Dixie) or do they have to be purchased from a specialty store. If I can’t find these spices will the absence jeopardize the flavor?
Dottee- Check out the Latin foods section of these supermarkets for Bijol and the spice section for annatto. And if you have an Hispanic grocery in your town, they are sure to have both. I use it for both flavor and for color.
This is very helpful
Dos Equis is my favorite beer. We used to live in Mississippi and close to New Orleans. What great places and I miss them!!! My daughter is moving back to Mohave Valley and can’t wait till she gets settled. She will be by Laughlin, where we used to live, and New Orleans. Can’t wait till she gets settled!!!!
Recipe doesn’t mention carrots, but they shown in the picture and traditionally used in tortilla soup.
Hey Jim – Good eye! I made the change to the ingredients and instructions. Thanks.
George:
How much do your chicken breasts weigh? Their size can vary significantly.
Michael – Six ounces each, but I wouldn’t get too caught up in the quantity of chicken. My credo is “the meatier the better.” Thanks for the question. All the best.