I developed this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe over the last few years tweaking it here and there, but I think I have arrived. Several years ago I had a bowl of chicken tortilla soup at a restaurant that was so good I was inspired to try to figure out how to make it. The result is a favorite that I return to again and again. My version is a bit healthier than a typical restaurant since I bake my tortilla strips. I have served this in hearty portions for dinner, and for an extra hungry crowd you can serve with quesadillas or nachos or salad.
Chicken Tortilla Soup – Restaurant Style
2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into small bit sized pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves
2 (4 oz) cans of mild fire-roasted green chilies
1 (30 ounce) can refried beans
30 ounces of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of Housemade Southwest Seasoning
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tortillas (carb friendly, if desired)
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided (optional)
cilantro (optional)
salt
1) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and cook diced chicken pieces for 5 minutes, stirring often so they don’t get brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same large soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook for 1 minute stirring often.
3) Press 2 cloves of garlic into the pot over the onions and cook for another minute. Continue stirring so the onions and garlic do not brown.
4) Add the two cans of green chilies and cook for another minute.
5) Add the cooked chicken, refried beans and broth (I buy broth by the carton and measure the broth by filling the empty refried bean can). Blend this mixture well.
6) Add 1 tablespoon of southwest seasoning and 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite). Simmer soup on medium low heat until heated through. At this point the soup can be eaten, but if you simmer on low heat for another 15 – 30 minutes it will give the seasoning a chance to blend well.
7) While the soup is simmering preheat oven to 350 degrees and cut the tortillas into very thin strips using a pizza cutter. For a carb-conscious portion, use 1/2 tortilla per person.
8) Place tortilla strips, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 4 pinches of salt in a resealable bag and shake well.
9) Spread into 1 layer on cookie sheet sprayed with oil. Make the strips in shapes rather than all of them be completely flat and bake for 5 – 7 minutes. (I have also toasted these in a large frying pan if you prefer that method).
10) This recipe makes four hearty 2 1/2 cup portions. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish each bowl with tortilla strips, 1/8 cup of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves.(Serving Idea: I have also served this soup with cheese quesadillas).
Chicken Tortilla Soup - Restaurant Style
Ingredients
- Chicken Tortilla Soup - Restaurant Style
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- 2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into small bit sized pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 (4 oz) cans of mild fire-roasted green chilies
- 1 (30 ounce) can refried beans
- 30 ounces of chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon of Southwest Seasoning
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tortillas (carb friendly, if desired)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided (optional)
- cilantro (optional)
- salt
Directions
- Step 1 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and cook diced chicken pieces for 5 minutes, stirring often so they don’t get brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Step 2 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same large soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook for 1 minute stirring often.
- Step 3 Press 2 cloves of garlic into the pot over the onions and cook for another minute. Continue stirring so the onions and garlic do not brown.
- Step 4 Add the two cans of green chilies and cook for another minute.
- Step 5 Add the cooked chicken, refried beans and broth (I buy broth by the carton and measure the broth by filling the empty refried bean can). Blend this mixture well.
- Step 6 Add 1 tablespoon of southwest seasoning and 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite). Simmer soup on medium low heat until heated through. At this point the soup can be eaten, but if you simmer on low heat for another 15 – 30 minutes it will give the seasoning a chance to blend well.
- Step 7 While the soup is simmering preheat oven to 350 degrees and cut the tortillas into very thin strips using a pizza cutter. For a low-carb portion, use 1/2 tortilla per person.
- Step 8 Place tortilla strips, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 4 pinches of salt in a ziplock bag and shake well.
- Step 9 Spread into 1 layer on cookie sheet sprayed with oil. Make the strips in shapes rather than all of them be completely flat and bake for 5 – 7 minutes. (I have also toasted these in a large frying pan if you prefer that method).
- Step 10 This recipe makes four hearty 2 1/2 cup portions. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish each bowl with tortilla strips, 1/8 cup of shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves.(Serving Idea: I have also served this soup with cheese quesadillas).
