Braised Chicken Tortilla Soup

5 from 2 votes

This Braised Chicken Tortilla soup is deeply flavored with fresh produce and whole dried chilis. It is absolutely perfect for cool evenings!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: Adults

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Spencer Klickman

Equipment

Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot
Blender, Food Processor, or Immersion Blender
Large Skillet For frying tortilla strips

Ingredients

Chicken Thighs

4 Bone In Skin On Chicken Thighs, About 1 ½ to 2 Lbs. - Chicken Skin Removed and Reserved
¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt per Pound of Meat
2 - 3 Tablespoons Neutral Cooking Oil or Bacon Fat

Soup

2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds Toasted & Ground - Substitute 2 ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin if not using whole
1 ½ teaspoon Coriander Seeds Toasted & Ground - Substitute 1 ¼ teaspoon Ground Coriander if not using whole
1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns Toasted & Ground - Substitute 1 ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper if not using whole
1 Medium White Onion Peeled and Quartered
4 Roma Tomatoes Cored and Halved
1 Poblano Pepper Quartered, Stems and Seed Seeds Removed, Rough Chopped
1 Jalapeno Halved Stems and Seeds Removed, Rough Chopped
4 Dried Ancho Chilis Stems and Seeds Removed
3 Dried Guajillo Chilis Stems and Seeds Removed
1 Canned Chipotle Pepper with 1 tablespoon Adobo Sauce
1 ¼ Quarts (5 Cups) Low-Sodium Chicken Stock Substitute Homemade Chicken Stock - Divided
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt If using unsalted chicken stock, add an additional tsp, plus more to taste.
2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano Substitute Equal Amounts of Regular Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
⅓ Cup Masa Harina
½ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 1 Lime Plus More to Taste
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste

Crispy Tortilla Strips

6 to 8 White Corn Tortillas Cut into thirds, then into ¼-inch strips
Neutral Oil for Frying
Kosher Salt To Taste

Instructions

Remove the skins from the chicken thighs and reserve. Pat the chicken thighs dry, and apply ¾ teaspoons of kosher salt per pound of meat evenly to both sides of the chicken. Sprinkle some on the reserved chicken skins. Allow to rest for 30 minutes up to overnight (uncovered in the fridge) to dry brine.
While the chicken is resting, heat a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and add your cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns. Toast, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, grind into a fine powder, and reserve for later.
Heat a large Dutch oven or large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat, add several tablespoons of neutral cooking oil (or bacon fat), and add the salted chicken thighs and reserved skins. Allow to sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until some color begins to develop. (The chicken will not be cooked through at this point; that’s ok - it will get cooked through in later steps.)
Remove the thighs, and continue to cook the skins until crispy and golden brown, if needed. (Sometimes this takes an extra minute or two.)
Add additional oil or bacon fat to the Dutch oven if needed, and add the quartered onion, tomatoes, poblano, and jalapeno. Add a heavy pinch of kosher salt and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes to sear the vegetables. Turn and cook and additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the dried chilis, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Transfer the vegetables and peppers to a blender, food processor, or large mixing bowl. Add the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, measured Kosher salt, Mexican oregano, toasted spices from earlier, and 2 cups of chicken stock. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining chicken stock and masa harina.
Return the chicken pieces (no skins yet) and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Stir in the chili mixture, and the chicken stock and masa harina mixture. Add the bay leaves and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through. Turn off heat and stir in the heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice.
Remove the chicken and allow it to cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and either shred or cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones. Taste the meat and adjust for salt, and add it back to the Dutch oven.
Finely mince the chicken skins until it is almost a fine powder and add it to the Dutch oven, stirring to combine.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Crispy Tortilla Strips

Add frying oil to a large skillet and heat to 350–375°F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt.

Assembly & Topping Suggestions

Serve with crispy tortilla strips, shredded cheese of your choosing (I prefer cotija), diced avocado, tortilla chips, a drizzle of Mexican crema or sour cream, finely minced cilantro, hot sauce, and cooked corn.

Nutrition