I was excited to make this soup, but quickly realized it wasn't like the previous chicken enchilada soup I made. It was still good, especially if you have a palate for Mexican cuisine.
Supplies: Ninja Foodi
Supplies: Ninja Foodi
Ingredients:
Chicken Stock:
Tortilla Soup:
Crispy Tortilla Strips:
To serve:
Instructions:
CHICKEN STOCK:
Preheat the oven to 450˚F (232˚C) and roast bones and vegetables for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until bones are caramelized.
In a large pot, add roasted vegetables and bones, oregano and cumin and pour in 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken breasts and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, until cooked through to 165˚F (74˚C). Remove chicken breasts from the stock and shred as soon as it’s cool enough to handle. Set aside until ready to use, preferably in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Let the stock simmer for at least an hour, more if you have the time, skimming off and discarding any nasties that float to the surface. Strain the stock and cool before refrigeration, if not using immediately. Stock can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or 3 months in the freezer.
TORTILLA SOUP:
Turn the broiler to high, or set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear tomatoes, garlic, and onion until well charred. Lightly toast the dried chiles, but do not burn them. Once charred, remove the garlic cloves from the pan and once cool enough to handle, peel and discard skins. Transfer all vegetables to a blender and add 2 cups of chicken stock and tortilla pieces. Blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a large pot and add 4-6 more cups of chicken stock, depending on how thick or thin you prefer your soup (keeping in mind that the soup will thicken slightly as it cooks). Season with salt, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, letting simmer for about 30 minutes. While the soup simmers, make your tortilla strips:
TORTILLA STRIPS:
Place a high-walled skillet over medium heat and pour in oil until it’s about ½-inch deep. Let the oil get hot for about 1 minute before adding about ⅓ of the tortilla strips (you don’t want to crowd the pan). Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and or baking sheet sprinkle with a good amount of salt. Repeat until all tortilla strips have been fried. Set aside until ready to serve.
TO SERVE:
Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and top with queso fresco, avocado and cilantro. Dash with hot sauce, if using, then a generous squeeze of lime over everything. Top with crispy tortilla strips and serve alongside the quesadillas if desired.
** Recipe credit to Gordon Ramsay.
Chicken Stock:
- 2 pounds chicken bones, raw (backs, necks, feet, etc)
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 2 large carrots, washed and cut
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
Tortilla Soup:
- 5 roma tomatoes
- 5 garlic cloves, peels still on
- 1 small white onion (or half large), peeled and quartered
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeds removed, torn into large pieces *Can use chili powder in place of these.
- 3, 6-inch flour tortillas, torn into pieces
- 6-8 cups homemade chicken stock, divided
Crispy Tortilla Strips:
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into ½-inch wide strips
- Vegetable oil, for frying (I used Avocado Oil)
- Kosher salt
To serve:
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Cilantro leaves
- Hot sauce of choice
- Lime wedges
Instructions:
CHICKEN STOCK:
Preheat the oven to 450˚F (232˚C) and roast bones and vegetables for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until bones are caramelized.
In a large pot, add roasted vegetables and bones, oregano and cumin and pour in 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken breasts and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, until cooked through to 165˚F (74˚C). Remove chicken breasts from the stock and shred as soon as it’s cool enough to handle. Set aside until ready to use, preferably in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Let the stock simmer for at least an hour, more if you have the time, skimming off and discarding any nasties that float to the surface. Strain the stock and cool before refrigeration, if not using immediately. Stock can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or 3 months in the freezer.
TORTILLA SOUP:
Turn the broiler to high, or set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear tomatoes, garlic, and onion until well charred. Lightly toast the dried chiles, but do not burn them. Once charred, remove the garlic cloves from the pan and once cool enough to handle, peel and discard skins. Transfer all vegetables to a blender and add 2 cups of chicken stock and tortilla pieces. Blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a large pot and add 4-6 more cups of chicken stock, depending on how thick or thin you prefer your soup (keeping in mind that the soup will thicken slightly as it cooks). Season with salt, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, letting simmer for about 30 minutes. While the soup simmers, make your tortilla strips:
TORTILLA STRIPS:
Place a high-walled skillet over medium heat and pour in oil until it’s about ½-inch deep. Let the oil get hot for about 1 minute before adding about ⅓ of the tortilla strips (you don’t want to crowd the pan). Fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and or baking sheet sprinkle with a good amount of salt. Repeat until all tortilla strips have been fried. Set aside until ready to serve.
TO SERVE:
Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and top with queso fresco, avocado and cilantro. Dash with hot sauce, if using, then a generous squeeze of lime over everything. Top with crispy tortilla strips and serve alongside the quesadillas if desired.
** Recipe credit to Gordon Ramsay.
