Tortilla soup with chicken, lime, and smoked chilies (Easy-to-make soup recipes)

 

                Tortilla soups can vary from thick, tomatoey purées to lighter versions like this one. Bits of tender chicken float in a clear broth flavored with tomatoes. Mexican herbs and spices, and a smoky chipotle pepper. Crisp tortilla strips and dollops of sour cream are delicious finishing touches.

6 servings

• 1 small dried chipotle pepper
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for frying the tortilla strips
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, drained well
• 6 cups chicken stock (cliquer ici pour la recette)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into julienned strips about 1 inch long by ¼ inch wide
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt
• 6 (6-to7-inch) corn tortillas
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 thin lime wedges for garnish (optional)

1. Put the chipotle pepper in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water ; let it sit until softened, for about 20 minutes.
2. Drain pepper, discarding water, and pat dry ; Using a small sharp knife, cut a lengthwise slit in pepper and scrape out and discard seeds, coarsely chop pepper and set aside.
3. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
4. When hot, add onion and cook until softened, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes ; add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
5. Add chopped chipotle, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and stock ; bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Purée the soup in a food processor, blender, or food mill, and return soup to the pot.
7. Bring puréed soup to a simmer over medium heat and add the chicken and yellow peppers ; simmer until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender, for about 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the lime juice, then taste and season with salt, as needed.
9. To make the garnish, stack the tortillas, then cut them in half ; stack halves and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips.
10. Set a medium skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom generously with olive oil ; when oil is hot, add one-third of the tortilla strips and sauté, turning often, until golden and crisp, for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Using slotted spoon, transfer strips to paper towels to drain ; repeat with remaining tortilla strips in 2 more batches, adding more oil as needed.
12. To serve, ladle soup in 6 soup bowls.
13. Garnish each serving with a generous handful of fried tortilla strips ; add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro, and serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over the soup, if desired.

BON APPÉTIT