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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Usually made with a tomato or chicken broth, plenty of vegetables, shredded chicken, and crunchy fried tortilla pieces—along with fresh garnishes such as avocado and herbs—chicken tortilla soup is classic Mexican comfort food. To make this quickly without sacrificing any of its best qualities, brown the boneless, skinless chicken breasts right in the Dutch oven and then use the leftover fat to build the soup using chicken broth, onion, garlic, chipotle in adobo, and tomato paste, which all contribute loads of bold flavors. The chicken goes back in to finish cooking before getting shredded for serving. Coarsely crushed store-bought tortilla chips, creamy chunks of avocado, bright chopped tomato, and fresh cilantro leaves make for a panoply of flavors and textures. Because the saltiness of tortilla chips varies from brand to brand, take a cook's-prerogative nibble of the chips to gauge them before seasoning the soup with additional salt."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon pepper
â—¦ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 2 teaspoons tomato paste
â—¦ 6 cups chicken broth
â—¦ 2 tablespoons lime juice
â—¦ 4 ounces tortilla chips, crushed into large pieces (4 cups), plus extra for serving
â—¦ 1 large tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces, plus extra for serving
â—¦ 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces, plus extra for serving
â—¦ ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves



Recipe

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add onion to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chipotle, garlic, and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits.

Add browned chicken, cover, and simmer gently until it registers 160 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.

Stir lime juice into soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide shredded chicken, tortilla chips, tomato, and avocado among individual bowls. Ladle hot soup into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve, passing extra tortilla chips, tomato, and avocado separately.

Serves 4 to 6