A classic twist on Mexico City’s Soul Food Soup. Fresh, intense flavors combine with vegetables and pulled chicken – your go-to-healthy-soup for the winter season
Sopa De Tortilla is a traditional Old World soup originated in Central Mexico. Southern California chefs adopted the essential flavors and recreated it in the United States – and it has been oh-so-well received. Regional Southwestern cuisine became very vogue in the 1980’s, and it seems today many restaurants are adding this spicy and healthy soup as a popular mainstay on menus throughout America.
Vibrant with color and an intriguing flavor, Chicken Tortilla Soup is comfort in a bowl. Adjust the spiciness if you like, and top with sour cream, avocado, graded cheese and tortilla strips to tame the warmth and cool it down a bit.
Topped with grated cheese and fried tortilla strips, it’s no wonder Americans made this one of their favorite bowls of soups. What’s wonderful to mention about this soup is it is immensely healthy! Spicy foods have been noted to treat the symptoms a common cold and quicken metabolism – team them with steamy homemade chicken broth, and it is a health-bonanza.
How to stay (or become) healthy in winter and through the New Year – eat lean protein and lots of fresh vegetables, we are told. I like to double this recipe and keep pint containers in the freezer for an effortless lunch or dinner.
Here is my version of the timeless recipe. Feel free to make it your own by tailoring the ingredients, and especially the chiles. I have quite a collection of dried chiles in my pantry from mild to scorching hot. Some I soak, and use the liquid too, other times I will tear them and blacken in a skillet. For this recipe I have used Chipotles in Adobe Sauce – they are in every grocery stores today in pretty little cans. They are smoke-dried jalapeños, a little spicy, but not extremely hot in a tomato sauce, flavored by the chiles. You could substitute other smokey flavored chiles such as ancho, morita or dried chipotles. Each variety will lend a subtle depth to the soup.
My recipe is brothy, others are thicker. Jewish chicken soup principles with Mexican flavors!
To amplify the fried corn flavor, some tortilla can be blended with the broth. Epazote, a Mexican herb with a distinct, strong taste is used in authentic Tortilla Soup. While you might find it in Mexican and Latin Markets, it is available dried at specialty spice markets. Epazote’s fragrance is difficult to describe – it taste like no other herb, although I think its closest relative is oregano.
Have fun making and enjoying this fabulous soup!
Karen
“A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting.”
Abraham Maslow
