Chicken tortilla soup is my kind of soup – it’s base is a classic broth, but the spices and seasonings give it personality and kick it up a notch.
My family and I are big fans of this and whenever I have a leftover chicken carcass hanging out in my refrigerator, this is the first soup that I think of.
The seasonings are intense and the soup is incredibly filling. Even the kids will enjoy this!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
- 6-8 c. water
- 1 chicken carcass
- 1 onion, whole
- 5 carrots, whole
- 2 celery stalks, whole
- 3 garlic cloves, whole
- 1-8 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1-8 oz. can black beans, liquid drained
- 3 ears of corn, kernels removed
- 1 bunch cilantro, cut into strips
- 5-6 corn tortillas
- 1 packet enchilada seasoning mix
- 2 tbs. chili powder
- 2 tbs. cumin
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- grated cheese, chopped avocado and tortilla chips to garnish
Instructions:
- In a large stock pot, add the first six ingredients. Simmer on medium-low for 2 hours.
- Turn off heat and remove vegetables and add to a blender. Blend until liquified and add back to soup.
- Remove chicken carcass and allow to cool. In the meantime, add can of diced tomatoes, beans, corn, chopped cilantro and corn tortilla strips.
- When the chicken has cooled, pick off any pieces of meat and add to the soup. Preferably get 2 cups of meat off of the carcass. (If you can’t get that amount, then add a can of chicken meat to the soup.)
- Add seasonings and lemon juice. Stir well.
- When ready to serve, add grated cheese and any additional toppings.