Tortillas are common leftovers in Mexico, and are reused in a number of creative ways. Here, tortillas are deep fried and added to a rich chicken soup. Often chilies are added to turn the broth red and make it extra delicious.
Adding leftovers to soup is a time-honored tradition. Before embracing the kitchen sink approach to soup making, it pays to know where you are headed. For tortilla soup, a rich clear chicken broth is essential and can be obtained by poaching a chicken in water. Once cooked, the meat can be added to the soup making it all the better. Once you have the chicken down, you are pretty much free to add whatever else you want. Just keep your additions fresh, chunky and distinct.
A few notes on texture: The chicken is best shredded so that it can soak up the broth and become moist and plump. Tortilla pieces should be large enough to maximize flavor, but not so large that they fall off your spoon. The onion is added raw so ensure it is finely diced to prevent it from overpowering your palette. Lastly, everything else should be chunky so you get the distinct bursts of each flavor as you eat.
When poaching chicken, I like to cook it in a minimum amount of over-salted water. This way, the chicken absorbs a good amount of salt. I can then dilute the remaining broth to balance out the salt.
In cold water, wash the chicken thoroughly to remove any blood and internal organs that may be attached (proteins in the blood and organs will coagulate during cooling and cloud the final stock).
Place the chicken in a pot with the garlic, onion and salt. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients (about one quart), place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer and continue cooking for 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. For a clean and clear stock, skim any impurities and fat as they rise to the surface. Add water as needed while cooking to keep the chicken pieces barely covered.
While the stock is cooking, soak the dried chilies in a cup of boiling water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before pureeing in a blender until smooth.
The chilies have been torn up into smaller pieces and are starting to soak up the hot water.
Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and lift the chicken pieces from the stock. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool. When cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bones and return the bones to the stock.
Return the stock to the stove and simmer for 30 minutes more. Discard the bones and strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve.
The stock has been strained and is clean and clear. Now back into the bowl so we can dilute as needed.
At this point you should have about one quart of stock. Dilute with fresh water until you have 1 1/2 quarts. Add the blended chilies and stir to combine. Taste the broth and adjust salt as necessary.
Adding the chili paste. I like to add a little bit at a time, tasting as I go until it's just right.
Making your own chips results in tastier, fresher chips that are the perfect size. If you are game, follow along.
Cut the tortillas into pieces about one by two inches in size. If you stack the tortillas on top of one another this can be done in a flash.
Fresh corn tortillas cut into pieces.
Heat the oil in a pot until it is hot enough for deep frying. Add the tortilla pieces in batches and fry until lightly brown. While frying, stir the chips gently to ensure even browning. You should aim to have the oil hot enough so that the chips are lightly browned in about three to four minutes. If you cook them too fast, the chips will not release enough moisture and will not be properly crunchy.
Frying the corn tortilla chips.
Once each batch of tortilla chips are cooked, remove it from the oil and allow to drain on sheets of paper towel.
Using your fingers shred the chicken into small chunks. For this soup, I prefer to use the breasts, which should be just sufficient for six portions. Save the meat from the legs for another use.
Prepare the remaining additions and have everything ready to go.
A plate of additions for the soup. Getting it all ready in advance makes assembly a breeze.
When ready to serve, return the stock to a boil. Ladle it into six bowls, and add the remaining ingredients. I like to add the larger ingredients first, and finish with the smallest, saving the crumbled queso for last. Serve immediately before the tortilla chips get too soggy.