Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
Description
Topped with crispy tortilla strips, this Mexican chicken soup provides a healthy dose of heat with guajillo and ancho chile peppers and fire-roasted corn.
Ingredients
•
3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
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1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
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1 pinch salt
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1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or more to taste
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3 cloves garlic, smashed
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1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
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3 tablespoons oil, divided
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1 white onion, chopped
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon ground paprika
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1 (12 ounce) package fire-roasted frozen corn
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3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
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1/4 cup chicken broth, or as needed
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1/2 cup crispy tortilla strips
Directions
1
Place guajillo chile peppers, ancho chile pepper, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-low heat until peppers have softened, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, drain peppers, and set aside to cool.
2
Combine chicken, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks when cool enough to handle. Strain broth into a bowl and set aside to use in the soup.
3
Combine diced tomatoes and cooled chile peppers in a blender; blend until smooth.
4
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron soup pot over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and paprika; saute until onion starts to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Make a well in the center of the onions and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add pureed tomato-chile pepper mixture to the hot oil; it should sizzle. Stir sauce to combine with onions and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
5
Add shredded chicken to the pot and stir until completely coated in sauce; simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in reserved chicken broth, corn, and chicken bouillon until combined and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes, adding additional chicken broth if soup is too thick.
6
Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips.