RECIPE

Tortilla Soup

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4

Ancho chiles are dried poblanos. Choose anchos that are still pliable or soften them by warming them in a 350° oven for a minute or so.

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • FAST

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
    1. Four 6-inch corn tortillas
    2. 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    3. 8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
    4. 4 fresh or canned plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juices
    5. 1 medium all-purpose potato, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice
    6. 1 ancho chile—stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
    7. 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
    8. 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
    9. 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
    10. Salt
    11. 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
    12. 1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
    13. 1 pound small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
    14. Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
    15. 1 lime, quartered, for garnish
    16. Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush both sides of the tortillas with the vegetable oil, cut them into 1/2-inch-wide strips and spread them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden.
  2. In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the stock, tomatoes, potato, ancho, onion, garlic, marjoram and 1 teaspoon of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate; simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and yellow squash; cook for 1 minute longer. Add the chicken and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
  3. Ladle the soup into warmed soup plates or bowl. Float a few tortilla strips on top of each serving and garnish each with several cilantro sprigs, a lime quarter and a dollop of sour cream. Serve the remaining tortilla strips on the side. Enjoy the soup right away, before the tortillas become soggy.