Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
List of Ingredients
This soup can be simplified by purchasing prepared smoked chicken pieces, available in plastic packages in most stores. If you choose to smoke your own, you can
do it a day or so ahead.
Stock
1 ear corn
2 quarts chicken stock or canned chicken broth
4 ounces smoked chicken breast (see below)
1 green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 ounces tomato paste
2 cups corn tortilla chips, crushed
Garnish
4 ounces chicken breast (see below)
12 fresh corn tortillas, julienned
2 quarts corn oil
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced into 6 pieces
1 bunch cilantro (optional)
Recipe
To prepare the stock: Shuck the corn and cut off the kernels, discarding the cob. In a large pot,
bring all ingredients to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a
fine-meshed sieve, pressing down on the bits to extract all juices. The stock may be
refrigerated at this point and reheated later.
To fry the tortillas: In a deep frying pan or pot, heat the oil to 350 F. Toss in one-fourth of
the tortilla strips and fry until they float to the surface and brown slightly. Remove with a
slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortillas, one-fourth at a time,
letting the temperature of the oil return to 350 F between each addition. Lightly salt the
fried tortilla strips.
To serve: Reheat the soup broth with the zucchini, onion, and chicken. Spoon into serving bowls
and top each bowl of soup with cheese and tortilla strips. Top each with a slice of avocado and
sprig of cilantro.
Smoked Chicken
The key to smoking is long, slow cooking in a moist atmosphere. These directions allow for a
shorter time in the smoker or grill, finishing in the oven so that you are certain to get the
internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken to 180 F. You can complete the entire
process in the smoker instead; in that case, increase the cooking time in the smoker to about
4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F. You can add your own
variations to the flavor by changing what you put in the water pan; lemon, garlic, spices like
ginger, and aromatics like rosemary, oregano, and tarragon will add flavor to the chicken as it
smokes.
2 chickens, cut into large pieces or butterflied
2 lemons, sliced
2 tablespoons salt
water to cover
2-3 pieces mesquite or similar hard wood
To smoke the chicken: Fill a pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer with water
and add the salt, chicken pieces, and lemon slices. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 2
to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Prepare a smoker or grill with a close-fitting vented cover: Light the charcoal and let burn
until covered with fine white ash. With long barbecue tongs, push the coals on one side of the
grill. Put a heatproof pan of water (optional: use the leftover marinade from the chicken) next
to the fire. Spray the cooking grill with cooking-oil spray and set in place over the fire.
Drain and blot dry the chicken. Spread the chicken on the grill. Cover and let smoke, adding
coals occasionally to keep the fire going and adding water as necessary to the water pan.
About 1 hour and 15 minutes after starting the chicken, soak 3 to 4 pieces of wood in water
for 30 minutes. About 1 hour and 45 minutes after starting the chicken, place the soaked wood
over the coals. Keep the cover on and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Remove the chicken from the smoker and place in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Put in
the oven and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the internal temperature of the thickest
portion reaches 180 F. Remove the chicken, let cool for 30 minutes, and refrigerate or freeze
until ready to use.
|
|
member logon
