Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yesterday may have been the first day of spring, but the weather in L.A. has been unseasonably cold and rainy. I was craving something warm, so I asked my friend for her mom's recipe for chicken tortilla soup. When I was in college, she would invite us down to her parent's house in Denver and her mom would make this soup for us. It was so comforting to have a home-cooked meal on a cold Colorado night, and I've been thinking of this soup for years since. After making it myself, I can appreciate all the love and hard-work that goes into this delicious dish.


Related Recipes:
 - Mexican Turkey Soup
- Chicken & Chorizo Tortilla Casserole
- Turkey Noodle Soup


Chicken Tortilla Soup:

• Finely chop 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, and ½ yellow onion (reserve the other ½ for garnish).
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in the bottom of a large pot.
• Add diced vegetables and cook until very tender (almost mush), about 10 -12 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
• Add chicken soup pack (chicken back, neck, wings) and cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until browned on both sides.*
• Add 4-6 c. water and cover pot with a lid. Simmer on low heat for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, rub two chicken breasts and two drumsticks** with 1 tbsp. olive oil and desired seasoning blend.*** 
• Cook in a 400°F oven for 35 minutes, or until cooked through. Add any pan juices to the pot and shred the chicken. 
• Once the stock has finished cooking, use a strainer to remove the vegetables and chicken parts.
• Add the shredded chicken to the pot.
• Meanwhile, assemble toppings: Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a skillet. Add strips of corn tortillas and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil.
• Cut one block of mozzarella cheese into small cubes. Cube one avocado. Slice one lime. Pick leaves off of one bunch of cilantro. Finely chop remaining onion. Open a can of chipotle peppers in adobo.****
• To assemble soup, pour chicken and broth into a bowl. Allow each person to add their own toppings to suit their tastes.

Serves six - eight
* These steps are important to develop flavor. Do not rush this process.
** If you don't like dark meat, add the drumsticks to the stock instead.
*** I used Napa Style Roasted Garlic Rub.
**** I used Embasa brand.