I grew up in Houston, Texas, and there were exactly two soups I would eat when I was sick. The first was Vietnamese chicken phở, and the second was tortilla soup. No other soup would do (sorry, classic chicken noodle)! Luckily for me, both were readily available to heal whatever was ailing me (you can reliably find tortilla soup on most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant menus in the city).
While tortilla soup, or sopa de tortilla, is a traditional Mexican soup with origins in Mexico City, you’ll also find it as a standard on Tex-Mex restaurant menus. Tortilla soup is like chicken soup, but with the flavor cranked WAY up. Aromatics like poblano peppers and cilantro stems, and spices like ancho chili powder and cumin add a depth of flavor to the tomato-y broth that just can’t be matched. And that’s before you add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and toppings like gooey cheese and creamy avocado chunks.
The thing that really sets tortilla soup apart, though, is—brace yourself—the tortillas. You shallow-fry corn tortilla strips in a Dutch oven or pot (the same one you plan to make the soup in) until they are the perfect crispy-crunchy topping. Then, instead of discarding all of the oil, you use it to sweat the aromatics. The frying oil is infused with a deeply toasty corn flavor that adds a savory, well-rounded flavor to the soup in the same way sesame oil does.
I’m a little mad it took me so long to start making tortilla soup myself. When I lived in Texas, it was so readily available I never bothered (one of my favorites was even available via drive-thru). It wasn’t until I moved up to New York that I realized I’d need to take matters into my own hands. As it turns out, when I’m armed with a rotisserie chicken, I can have an entire pot full of tortilla soup made in under an hour.
Why You’ll Love It
- Big tortilla flavor! Shallow-frying the tortilla strips first in the soup pot means you’re building the soup in the infused oil and giving the soup a deep, toasty flavor.
- Rotisserie does it again. You’ll get all the chicken you need from one juicy, store-bought rotisserie chicken—and the texture is perfect.
Key Ingredients in Tortilla Soup
- Tortillas: Quickly-shallow fry thinly sliced corn tortillas in the pot before building the soup. The tortilla-infused oil flavors the soup, and the crispy tortillas are a quintessential part.
- Aromatics: Onion, poblanos, garlic, and cilantro stems make an extra-flavorful base for the soup.
- Spices: Ancho chili, cumin, and oregano fill out the flavor profile. Ancho chili powder has a sweeter, smokier flavor profile than regular chili powder. If you pick up a jar, you can use it in place of the usual stuff for a boost of flavor.
- Chicken: You’ll get about 4 cups of delicious, perfectly shredded chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken.
Helpful Swaps
- Add 2 tablespoons of masa harina in with the chili powder if you like a thicker soup, rather than a brothy one.
- Swap oregano for dried epazote, if you have it.
- Add diced carrots in with the other vegetables. You can also swap fresh diced Roma tomatoes for the canned crushed tomatoes.
- Use frozen fire-roasted corn in place of regular frozen corn.
- Add a finely diced jalapeño to the pot with the other vegetables or raw as garnish for a little extra heat.
- Instead of frying the tortillas, you can top with crushed tortilla chips (although the broth will be missing the infused oil flavor).
What to Serve With Tortilla Soup
- Black Bean Salad with Corn & Avocado
- Taco Slaw or Cilantro-Lime Slaw
- Mexican Rice (Arroz Rojo)
- Avocado and Cucumber Arugula Salad
- Fresh Corn Salsa with Lime and Cilantro
- Tangy Cucumber Avocado Salad
- Creamy Esquites Dip
Tortilla Soup
Makes 9 cups; serves 4 to 6For the soup:
- 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, plus more as needed
- 6 (5- to 6-inch) corn tortillas, halved and thinly sliced into strips
- 1 large yellow or white onion, finely diced (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro stems (from about 15 sprigs; reserve the leaves for serving)
- 2 teaspoons ground ancho chili or regular chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups coarsely shredded, cooked chicken (about 1 pound), preferably rotisserie
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels (do not thaw)
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
- Shredded Colby Jack, Chihuahua, or mild cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- Cilantro leaves, torn or coarsely chopped
- Lime wedges
2. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the pot (don’t worry about straining any broken bits of fried tortilla out). Return to medium-high heat and add 1 diced large yellow onion, 2 finely diced medium poblano peppers, 3 finely grated garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro stems. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in 2 teaspoons ground ancho chili, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth, 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 cups frozen corn kernels, 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the flavors meld, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve with the tortilla strips and desired toppings.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The soup can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat. The fried tortilla chips can be made up to one day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.Storage: Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days or frozen for up to three months. Leftover fried tortilla strips can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to four days.
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