Super Simple Chicken (or Turkey) Tortilla Soup
This is a great recipe to use up your leftover chicken or turkey. Since this is such a different flavor profile I love to use any leftover turkey after Thanksgiving dinner for this recipe. While this is a really quick and easy version of this soup, Ive made a more time-consuming version as well where I roast my own tomatoes, and substitute roasted fresh corn and peppers for the Mexicorn. But this version is a great quick weeknight meal.
This is a great recipe to use up your leftover chicken or turkey. Since this is such a different flavor profile I love to use any leftover turkey after Thanksgiving dinner for this recipe. While this is a really quick and easy version of this soup, Ive made a more time-consuming version as well where I roast my own tomatoes, and substitute roasted fresh corn and peppers for the Mexicorn. But this version is a great quick weeknight meal.
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups shredded chicken or turkey (pre-cooked)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (chopped)
- 3 cloves gralic (chopped)
- 1 15.5 oz. can black beans (drained)
- 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (not drained)
- 1 11 oz. can mexicorn (not drained)
- 10 pickled jalapeã±o rings (chopped)
- 2 tbs. liquid from the jalapeã±o pepper jar
- 3 tbs. chili powder
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1 tbs. butter
- 4 corn tortillas*
- Carbohydrate 4.15793958549582 g
- Cholesterol 80.9833333333333 mg
- Fat 36.9640962506631 g
- Fiber 1.27343335374396 g
- Protein 8.56455708381837 g
- Saturated Fat 20.7442410001168 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (788g)
- Sodium 2640.38125003996 mg
- Sugar 2.88450623175186 g
- Trans Fat 2.52085625010978 g
- Calories 375 calories
Step-by-step
- Saute the onion, carrot and garlic in a dutch oven with the butter and olive oil until they are soft and the onions are translucent.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, except the corn tortillas, to the dutch oven and bring to a boil. Once it has reached boiling, turn down the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, cut the corn tortillas into 1/4 inch strips and coat lightly with olive oil and salt.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees and arrange the tortilla strips in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Before serving the soup be sure to taste it and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Top the bowls of soup with some of the tortilla strips and serve.
What happens when two different stocks collide in a single pot? Combining chicken broth and beef broth creates a sturdy base with significantly more savory depth than poultry stock alone can provide. Building this soup successfully relies entirely on how the aromatics are handled in the initial stage. Sautéing the chopped onions, carrots, and garlic in a blend of olive oil and butter prevents the butter from burning while drawing out the natural sugars in the vegetables until the onions turn translucent.
- Dice the carrots and onions to a uniform quarter-inch size so they soften evenly during the initial ten-minute sauté.
- Bake the cut corn tortillas at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen to twenty minutes, watching closely until they reach a crisp, golden-brown state.
- Stir in two tablespoons of liquid directly from the pickled jalapeño jar to sharpen the broth with acidity before simmering.
- Substitute store-bought tortilla chips if oven space is limited, omitting steps three and four entirely without altering the broth.
Simmering the covered pot for thirty minutes allows the chili powder and cayenne pepper to fully integrate with the black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes. Adjusting the seasoning with additional salt and pepper just before ladling ensures the final balance hits correctly against the richness of the meat and dairy toppings.
