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
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
- 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, optional garnish
- Chipotle Crema, optional garnish, recipe below
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 fried tortilla strips, avocado and Chipotle Crema, as desired.
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 Chef #1119689
Fort Worth, Texas
on January 17, 2012
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I love this recipe. I live in Texas so I use a can of Rotel tomatoes (these come in Original, Mild, and Hot so you can pick the level of heat you want to use based on the heat that people you serve to want or can stand! No cutting up jalapenos! Also, I have been able to find the tortillas strips that come in a bag at Target and Kroger (you can find them with the croutons and the salad stuff. No frying !!! It makes this recipe even quicker and easier to prepare. I also cut up some avocados in small pieces and put them in the soup. I have used fresh and cilantro in a bottle and I think fresh is best. I buy a bunch of cilantro, wash it, and put it in a plastic bag in freezer. When I make soup, I take it out cut what I am using while frozen, and then put in soup. Much better flavor and you can keep it for a long time. Also, inexpensive.
By TessDarling
on July 20, 2011
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So good!
By mtbaldyrose
on May 17, 2011
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Hands down, the best tortilla soup I have EVER had! My friends and family tell me they love it so much that I don't want to tell anyone where I got the recipe. I want them all to think I am amazing on my own! I could eat this soup every day!!!!!!
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