Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 3 pounds whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 10 cups water
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, from can of chipotle peppers
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth, from cooking chicken or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- as needed kosher salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, to taste
For the Toppings
- 2 avocado, diced
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips, fried or baked until crispy
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken and Broth: Place the whole chicken, halved yellow onion, 4 smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 10 cups of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 1 hour.
⏱️ 60 min
- 2
Shred Chicken and Strain Broth: Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate large bowl, discarding the cooked onion, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Skim any excess fat from the broth if desired. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Set aside the shredded chicken and strained broth.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Sauté Aromatics: Clean the stockpot. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and minced jalapeño pepper, cooking for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Build Flavor Base: Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the tomato paste to deepen in color.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Prepare Thickening Agent: Carefully transfer about 2 cups of the strained chicken broth and the 4 torn corn tortillas to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. This will give the soup a rich, authentic texture.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Combine and Simmer Soup: Pour the blended tortilla mixture back into the stockpot with the flavor base. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and the reserved shredded chicken. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Finish Soup: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for at least 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to fully meld and deepen. Stir in the fresh lime juice and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Taste the soup and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
Serve: Ladle the hot spicy chicken tortilla soup into individual bowls. Garnish generously with diced avocado, crispy tortilla strips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and additional fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of freshness.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 3 pounds whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 10 cups water
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, from can of chipotle peppers
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth, from cooking chicken or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- as needed kosher salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, to taste
For the Toppings
- 2 avocado, diced
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips, fried or baked until crispy
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken and Broth: Place the whole chicken, halved yellow onion, 4 smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 10 cups of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 1 hour.
⏱️ 60 min - 2
Shred Chicken and Strain Broth: Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate large bowl, discarding the cooked onion, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Skim any excess fat from the broth if desired. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Set aside the shredded chicken and strained broth.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Sauté Aromatics: Clean the stockpot. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and minced jalapeño pepper, cooking for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Build Flavor Base: Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the tomato paste to deepen in color.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Prepare Thickening Agent: Carefully transfer about 2 cups of the strained chicken broth and the 4 torn corn tortillas to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. This will give the soup a rich, authentic texture.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Combine and Simmer Soup: Pour the blended tortilla mixture back into the stockpot with the flavor base. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and the reserved shredded chicken. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Finish Soup: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for at least 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to fully meld and deepen. Stir in the fresh lime juice and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Taste the soup and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
Serve: Ladle the hot spicy chicken tortilla soup into individual bowls. Garnish generously with diced avocado, crispy tortilla strips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and additional fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of freshness.
⏱️ 2 min