Tortilla Soup
This soup is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a great way to use up leftover chicken.
This soup is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a great way to use up leftover chicken.
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup carrot diced
- 1 cup celery
- 1 1 fresh garlic, peeled chopped
- 2 tablespoon corn oil
- 4 15 ounce cans chicken broth
- 1 15 ounce can tomatoes diced
- 1 10 ounce can rotel tomatoes i use hot
- 1 packet taco seasoning i use old el paso hot
- 1 10 count package corn tortillas torn into small pieces
- 12 ounces chicken meat poached, diced
- 12 ounces monterey jack cheese
- corn tortilla chips broken into pieces
- Carbohydrate 101.09411001543 g
- Cholesterol 70.0136125955288 mg
- Fat 35.5178173517432 g
- Fiber 18.8468676111136 g
- Protein 31.7595393746124 g
- Saturated Fat 10.8318255354696 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1168g)
- Sodium 841.622270645369 mg
- Sugar 82.2472424043167 g
- Trans Fat 2.10698128836802 g
- Calories 821 calories
Step-by-step
- Saute carrots, onions, celery in corn oil, garlic, salt and pepper until tender
- Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
- Add tomatoes, Rotel, taco seasoning, and chicken
- Cut Tortillas into small pieces and add to broth mixture
- Let boil for 20 minutes or until tortillas are thoroughly incorporated into soup stirring occasionally to keep from sticking
- Reduce heat and add 8 oz. cheese. Simmer for additional 10 minutes.
- Add milk and simmer for additional 10 minutes
- If thicker soup is desired, add more diced tortillas and let incorporate into soup
- Garnish with shredded cheese and broken tortilla chips
Swapping water or low-grade stock for a gelatin-rich commercial chicken broth fundamentally alters the body of the finished soup, shifting the mouthfeel from watery to velvety before a single tortilla enters the pot. Achieving that signature viscosity relies entirely on how the torn corn tortillas break down during the initial twenty-minute boil, releasing natural starches into the bubbling liquid while requiring frequent agitation with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching at the base of the heavy-bottomed Dutch oven.
Managing Dairy and Heat
Incorporating dairy products into an acidic, tomato-heavy broth demands precise thermal control to prevent curdling or protein separation. Adding the Monterey Jack cheese and milk too early, or exposing them to a rolling boil rather than a gentle simmer, causes the milk solids to break apart into unpleasant granules. Maintain a low heat output during the final ten-minute dairy addition, ensuring the temperature stays well below a simmer while the cheese melts uniformly into the emulsion.
- Stir the bottom of the pot every two minutes during the initial starch incorporation phase to avoid scorching.
- Maintain the simmer below 180 degrees Fahrenheit after adding the milk and cheese to prevent separation.
- Adjust the final thickness by simmering an additional five minutes uncovered if too much liquid remains.
