Saturday, May 29, 2010

Tortilla Chicken Soup

I’m on a soup kick. 

Lunch seems to slip past each day, lost in the blur of laundry, errands and kid transport.   Around 3pm I start nibbling at my chocolate stash too hungry to think.    I KNOW this is bad so I’ve made it easier to eat lunch.  Having a pot of fresh, savory soup in the fridge does the trick.

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Last month I made a batch of chicken stock.  The recipe called for two whole chickens and pounds of vegetables.  It was worth every penny and every minute spent chopping and stirring. 

Homemade stock is so superb it makes even the best store bought chicken stock taste like salted water.  The recipe also yielded pounds of shredded chicken which I froze in one pound bags.  This recipe used the last of it so it’s time to make so more.  Organic Free Range chickens are on sale right now at Central Market buy one get one free.

Mexican Chicken Soup

From :  Ina Garten

  • 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
  • Good olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
  • 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
  • 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
  • 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
  • 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
  • 6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

Directions

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

1 comment:

El said...

I'll have to make the vegetarian version because the ingredients look so wonderful!