Fantastic Tortilla Soup recipe to share

[RebeccaT]

Bob, I am so glad you enjoyed it! And I am glad to hear that you are enjoying the cookbook as well! You're right about it being a great "gift" cookbook - I have given it many times, and it's always well received.

I love your idea about adding black beans to the soup; that sounds right up my alley!

[Linda in MO]

I finally tried this for the first time last week and it was a big hit! What really shocked me though is that my husband LOVED it and raved about it. You see he's not a big soup fan like I am. He eats it w/o complaint when I fix it, but I know it usually doesn't satisfy his appetite.

Of course I had to tweak it a bit and here are the notes I added to MC...
I only used 2 T. oil (olive oil) and will only use about 1 T. next time. Definitely doesn't need the 6 T. called for in the recipe! I used "petite" diced tomatoes. I replaced 1 t. of the cumin with ground adobo seasoning and next time I will reduce the cumin just a bit because it was a little too strong. I only used 2 bay leaves and a little less salt. Also, I used ground chipotle in place of the cayenne and used less than 1/2 t. because of the kids. I think I also added a bit of Mexican oregano. And I used leftover roasted chicken that I shredded. I skipped the tortilla garnish and just served it with some simple quesadillas (corn tortillas spread lightly with salsa, sprinkled with cheddar, ground adobo seasoning, and fresh cilantro, and browned in a skillet).

Thanks for sharing Rebecca!

[Terrytx]

I also made this last week and it was a huge hit here. Thanks to RebeccaT I don't have to look for another Tortilla soup recipe ever

[Lynn B]

I just made this last night... YUM, YUM! Excellent, excellent soup!

I added a chopped carrot, a stalk of chopped celery, and some chopped red, green, and yellow bell peppers (because I had them!) I also added a chopped chipotle in adobo sauce. I did the "cook the chicken in the soup" trick (any other way seems like "make work" to me! ) - worked great. I also added about 1/2 can of "chile beans", because they were left-over in the fridge, and that was very good! And I added a few tablespoonsful of fresh lime juice at the end -- a HUGE difference in taste (I tasted it before and after and I definitely recommend adding that).

I garnished it with shredded cheese, baked tortilla strips, cilantro, green onions and avocado chunks. Delicious, and a definite repeater! Thanks for sharing!

Lynn

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by Lynn B
And I added a few tablespoonsful of fresh lime juice at the end -- a HUGE difference in taste (I tasted it before and after and I definitely recommend adding that).

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I also squeezed in some fresh lime juice just before serving. I agree with Lynn. It really adds a good flavor.

[oceanjasper]

I finally tried this recipe and it has wonderful flavours and textures! I had never eaten (let alone made) tortilla soup before, but I will definitely make this one again. As for now, I am totally stuffed and ready to package up some containers to throw in the freezer!

At first, I thought that I screwed up the recipe, because by the time it was all in there and ready to serve, you couldn't really see any broth. However, after reading some of the posts here, the soup has been described by at least one person as having the consistency of chili. That is exactly what I would say. It is pretty thick.

One reason for the thickness could be the tortillas, because I only had 12 inch flour ones and ended up using most of 6 of them (the rest I cut into strips and baked in the oven as garnish). Another reason could be the amount of chicken I put in. I didn't even see the "approx 2 cups" note on the recipe. I just went with 4 chicken breasts and it filled up a decent sized bowl. I would say around 4 cups.

As for the chicken stock, I used 6 cups of chicken broth and followed Mark Bittman's little recipe "Vastly Improved Canned Chicken Broth". One thing I noticed was that the chicken broth in the can is much darker than the chicken broth in the tetra-pak. I checked the labels and it looks like it is the same product. Strange. Anyway, I simmered the chicken breasts in the broth until they were cooked and then separated them out for shredding. I suppose that the broth may have reduced a bit while simmering, which would make the soup thicker.

I added peaches and cream corn to the soup and wished that I had some lime juice. Next time I will try the lime juice! I ended up topping the soup with sour cream, diced avocado, shredded monterey jack cheese and baked tortilla strips. The only thing missing was a Corona!!

YUM! Thanks RebeccaT!

[badunnin]

Originally posted by oceanjasper
One reason for the thickness could be the tortillas, because I only had 12 inch flour ones and ended up using most of 6 of them (the rest I cut into strips and baked in the oven as garnish).

Technically, this should be made with corn tortillas, not flour. Flour gives it a very different texture/taste.

[oceanjasper]

I wondered about that, but I don't recall seeing corn tortillas at my grocery store. They are definitely not as popular as flour tortillas around here. Or else I have ignored them, because I don't really care for them that much.

I still thought that the soup tasted good with the flour ones, but I have nothing to compare it to, because I had never seen or heard of tortilla soup before. Do you think this is why it was so thick??

I guess I'll see if I can find corn before I make them again...just to compare. Thanks.

[RebeccaT]

Hi there! I am so glad you enjoyed the tortilla soup! In answer to your question about flour vs. corn tortillas, Bethany is right, they have very different textures and would probably produce very different results in the soup. But if you were happy with the results using flour, then I'd say great! It probably did contribute to the added thickness though. When I make it, it's chunky and thick, but still a soup... just a hearty one.

If you can find the 6" corn tortillas, I hope you give it a try, and report back on the difference!

BTW, what is "peaches and cream corn?" Does it have fruit in it? Sounds interesting!

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by RebeccaT

BTW, what is "peaches and cream corn?" Does it have fruit in it? Sounds interesting!

It's a type of corn on the cob that has yellow and white kernals and is very sweet. I believe that's what we planted in our garden last year. Good stuff!

[bobmark226]

Originally posted by Linda in MO

It's a type of corn on the cob that has yellow and white kernals and is very sweet. I believe that's what we planted in our garden last year. Good stuff!

Your "peaches & cream" is what is called "butter and sugar" hereabouts, I think.

BOB

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by bobmark226


Your "peaches & cream" is what is called "butter and sugar" hereabouts, I think.

BOB

Hmmm, I've never heard of that variety.

[Kuvy]

Did anyone run this through Mastercook with only 1 TBs of oil used? I love that it started off calling for 6 TBs but really only needs 1!!

Did someone say Mango Margarita ?!?!? Oh my! Love that recipe if it's still out there.

Here's the one posted by "Ellery". It's about the easist soup I've ever made and shockingly delicious. RebeccaT, I'm looking forward to trying your version!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

4 chicken breast halves
2 15-oz cans black beans, undrained
2 15-oz cans Mexican stewed tomatoes, or Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot, whichever you prefer)
4-oz. can chopped green chilies
14 1/2-oz. can tomato sauce
tortilla chips
2 cups grated cheese

1. Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on LOW 8 hours.

3. Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup. (I shred the chicken.)

4. To serve, put a handful of chips in each individual bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese.

Enjoy!

[sunberst]

i used:

- 1 14 oz. can mexican fiesta diced tomatoes
- 1 14 oz. can jalapeno petite diced tomatoes
- garlic roasted chicken, shredded
- a little more onion
- extra hot mexican chili powder

very spicy & flavorful with my changes. yummy!

[vbak]

Bumping this up from 2-3 years ago! I made this today and we really liked it. I added the juice from a lime , but dang it, I used flour shells. :mad: The soup was pretty thick so I just mixed some boullion with water and added it to the soup. I picked the meat off the bones from a roasted chicken, chopped it up, and added that. I made broth with the carcass and added it to the canned broth. A keeper. Thank you for posting, Rebecca. I used probably 1 tbs of oil and that was plenty.

Vicky

[Goin' Coastal]

Another good one.........

Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 T/ Olive oil
2 (6 oz) chicken breast - skinless, boneless, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 (4 oz) chicken thighs - skinless, boneless, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup water
1 T. chopped jalapeno pepper
1 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
2 (14 oz) cans no salt addedtoamtoes - undrained and chopped
2 (14 oz) cans fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilis
2 ( 6") corn tortillas, each cut into 8 wedges
5 T. low fat sour cream

1. Heat olive oil in a lg Dutch oven over med. high heat. Add chicken pieces and choppen onion and cook for 7 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chopped garlic and saute of 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except corn tortillas and sour cream. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Place tortilla wedges on baking sheet; bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until crisp.

4. ladle soup into bowls, and top with the sour cream. Garnish with tortilla chips

Yields 5 se - servings - 1 1/2 cups soup, 1T. sour cream, 2 tortilla chip wedges

CALORIES - 311 (23% from fat) FAT 7.9g (sat 2g. mono 3g. poly 1.6g) PROTEIN 32g CARB 31.6g FIBER 5.8g CHOL 82mg IRON 3.5mg SODIUM 904 mg CALC 147 mg

[ElaineW2]

Finally tried RebeccaT's Tortilla Soup. It was wonderful! Being the wimp I am, I used much less cayenne and chili powder, and it was just right for us. I think it has been established that 1T of oil is enough, and I concur. Can't imagine using more.
Also, I was delighted to find that my library has the "Stop and Smell the Rosemary" cookbook, and I now have it on reserve.
Thanks Rebecca for sharing this recipe!!
Elaine

[IndianChef]

I made RebeccaT's Tortilla Soup last. It was AMAZING!!! Both DH and I just loved it.
I used only 1T of oil and 4 corn tortillas because I didn't want the soup to be too thick. I also added some leftover roasted peppers and about a cup of corn, peas and carrots and added some lemon juice at the end.
Excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing RebeccaT.

[PoppyJ]

I want to make this soup later this week, but I have a question about how much chicken to use. By weight, about how much chicken do you use? 4-6 chicken breast seem like a lot seeing that most weight almost 8oz each now.

[newtricks]

I want to make this soup later this week, but I have a question about how much chicken to use. By weight, about how much chicken do you use? 4-6 chicken breast seem like a lot seeing that most weight almost 8oz each now.

I use 2 - 3 b/s chicken breast halves. I actually just cook them in the soup and then take them out and shredd them with two forks. Enjoy the soup. it's a treat.

[trodman]

Diane, did you use soft corn tortillas, or regular tortilla chips? I am wondering because you said that your tortillas are still in little flakes, and I am curious about that. When I made it, the majority of the tortillas pretty much dissolved into the broth, making it thick, while the ones that remained intact were very soft.

I hope your family likes it! Let us know what they think!

Rebecca~
I have a question for you...when it calls for chopped corn tortilla's, is that small squares? Normally you see strips of crispy tortilla's served on top? It looks great and I can't wait to try it! I love Tortilla soups!

Thanks!Tracie

[PoppyJ]

I use 2 - 3 b/s chicken breast halves. I actually just cook them in the soup and then take them out and shredd them with two forks. Enjoy the soup. it's a treat.

Thanks Barbara. That is kind of what I was thinking. I will report back when I make it later this week.

[RebeccaT]

I want to make this soup later this week, but I have a question about how much chicken to use. By weight, about how much chicken do you use? 4-6 chicken breast seem like a lot seeing that most weight almost 8oz each now.

I actually have two answers to this question. if I am just using poached chicken breasts, I use 3-4 halves. But when I can, I like to use one of the supermarket rotisserie chickens, and I just shred the whole thing (it makes about 3-4 cups of shredded chicken). The rotisserie chicken adds a lot of flavor to the soup, and it's so convenient to just pick one up, shred the chicken, and either refridgerate or freeze until I need it for soup.

Rebecca~
I have a question for you...when it calls for chopped corn tortilla's, is that small squares? Normally you see strips of crispy tortilla's served on top? It looks great and I can't wait to try it! I love Tortilla soups!

Thanks!Tracie

I buy a small package of either white or yellow corn tortillas, the kind you might use for enchiladas, and I chop them into squares that are about 1/2 inch. You'll find that about 2/3 of them dissolve into the soup, making it nice and thick like a stew, and the rest get soft like a noodle. Of course, you could serve crispy tortilla strips on top as well as a garnish, but I wouldn't skip the chopped tortillas as it gives the soup such a great consistency!

I am so glad everyone is still enjoying this! I thawed some from the freezer over the weekend, and it was such a great change from Thanksgiving turkey!

[Stephanie-Oh]

I made this recipe tonight and WOW! Husband and I both really loved it. It was so easy! I used the BSchicken breasts(4) and decided since I was using prepared stock, that I would poach the chicken in the broth so I cubed the chicken in small pcs. instead of shredding. The store bought rotisserie chicken idea was a good one. Every mo. or so our gro. store has their rotisserie chicken on sale and this would be a great time to make this recipe. Thanks for a keeper Steph

[Kristal]

I finally made this recipe for lunch today and it is INCREDIBLE!! It tastes just like my favorite tortilla soup from a restaurant in our neighborhood. We actually took my parents there over the weekend and my mom was swooning over the soup. I'm going to tell her to make this version! Thank you so much Rebecca for posting such a delicious soup recipe. I am in love with it!

[Lillith]

I finished up the leftover Thanksgiving turkey making this soup. I left out the cayenne and chili powder and instead used a chipotle chile. Also, instead of the 28 oz. can of tomatoes I used one 14 oz. can tomatoes and 14 oz. Rotel. Also used more meat than called for. Delicious!

[CindySoCal]

Making this tonight! BUT will add corn and black beans instead of chicken...getting tired of poultry
TFS!!!

[PoppyJ]

I made this two nights ago and wasn't thrilled by it the first night, but I think it was chef's error. The onion I used was very hot (I was bawling when I was cutting it) and I don't think that I sauteed them long enough. Because when I ate the soup the onion flavor was very strong and the onions were still crunchy. But last night's was much better. The onion flavor had mellowed and I was able to taste the rest of the flavors. Great soup and on the repeat list (and next time I will sautee the oinons longer).

[CindySoCal]

DH and I LOVED this soup, TFS the recipe.
I used a sweet onion, I cook with them all the time, maybe that would help??. I added 2 cans of beans and some frozen corn, no chicken. It was easy and of course YUMMY

[tinalag]

What a timely thread! I was thinking about making tortilla soup with turkey and here it is. I'm very excited--I LOVE tortilla soup! Looking forward to trying this recipe