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DigiBites: Prepare For The Coming Storm With Chef Charlie’s Chicken Tortilla Soup!

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Photo: Chef Charlie/The Epicurean Exchange

My goal as a chef and teacher, is to get more people cooking, more often.  This means that I create recipes that are – just by name – irresistible, and this is one of them!  There are countless variation of the this soup.  Mine has all the best ingredients and flavors to make this a mainstay of your culinary repertoire!

Super-easy, do-ahead, can’t-go-wrong, and everyone will love it!  I choose to use fire-roasted tomatoes to add more flavor and adjust the seasoning (spice) to your liking!

AND, choose a high-quality, organic pre-roasted chicken; it will be less-fatty and add richness to the soup.

Garnish as you like: avocado, Mexican Creama, and really good tortilla chips!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

– Chef Charlie/Orinda Calif.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • 6 tablespoon corn oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
  • 8 corn tortillas, chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 – 28 ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
  • 1 whole roasted chicken, meat removed and shredded (about 4 cups)

Garnish:

  • Juice of 2 – 3 limes, depending on taste
  • Diced avocado
  • Mexican crema (or sour cream)
  • 12 tortilla chips, crushed

• In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté for 3 – 4 minutes.  Add the cumin, chili powder and bay leaves and sauté for another 2 – 3 minutes.  Add the chopped tortillas and cilantro and fold to combine.  Add the tomatoes and chicken stock; bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.

• Add the shredded chicken; season to taste with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, and simmer for an additional 30 – 45 minutes.

• To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls; garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, and Mexican crema (sour cream).

Serves 6

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15 COMMENTS

  1. I made this soup tonight and it was so super yummy!!!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe Chef Charlie🤗

    • @Tina – So cool of you to write. We know a certain chef who’s going to be really happy because you took a moment! Thanks for reading!

  2. @Tina – Thanks for the feedback; glad you enjoyed it! Truth be told, my 16-year-old twins asked for it last night, too! We made it together, and they loved it as usual!

    • @ChefCharlie – We know we’ve just horned in on a conversation between the chef and Dawn, but since some of us here have Italian blood in us our senses, and palates, are on full alert!

  3. Made this when the kids were down with colds and it was a hit. I think the cumin, cayenne and chili powder helped clear them up! And avocado is always a hit around here – my kids will eat anything!

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