Photo: Emeril's Favorite Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper and 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
- 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, for garnish
- Chipotle Crema, accompaniment, recipe follows
Directions
In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence.
Ladle the soup into 4 or 6 serving bowls. Garnish each serving with the diced avocado, the fried tortilla strips, and Chipotle Crema.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
- 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
Chipotle Crema:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients. Process on high speed until smooth. Serve with the soup.
Yield: 1/2 cup
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By eminke
Novi
on January 22, 2012
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Delicious! Had a get together and everyone loved the soup and wanted the recipe. I did not make the chipotle crema due to lack of time, just used sour cream. I made it a few hours in advance and let it sit on warm in the crock pot. The flavors were perfect.
By javeria927
San Francisco, CA
on December 19, 2011
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This was a great recipe. I omitted the chicken, and made it vegetarian. I pureed everything with an immersion blender. Sub'd chicken stock with water, butter, and spices; sub'd sour cream with low-fat yogurt. Added black beans, corn, and green onions. Served with fish tacos. Great dinner; enough for 5. Got a lot of compliments.
By riverrose05
on December 01, 2011
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This soup was fabulous. I loved it and my husband loved it. Followed the recipe except for the avocado and peppers, which i did not have on hand at the time. Accidently used a full can of paste, but had over 6 cups so it all evened out in the end. Taste was not too spicy and not to bland. The fried tortilla strips were very tasty. My husband couldn't get enough of them. Great recipe, definetely will make again!
Read all 94 reviews