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While Mexico has many delicious regional soups, no doubt the most well-known and popular among them is Tortilla Soup. This soup is very easy to make, is healthy and you can adjust the spice levels to suit your own palate. I like to garnish each bowl with crunchy tortilla chips, diced avocado and Jack cheese.

I usually start by grilling the tomatoes until the skins get blackened a bit so they are infused with a little smoky char flavor and aroma. However, when grilling isn’t an option you can shortcut this by using a good quality fire-roasted canned chopped tomatoes. To add to the smokiness I add some chipotle puree. Chipotles are my favorite chile and they add a very special flavor and additional smokiness to this soup.

I like using fresh oregano but if it isn’t available dried will work. If you can buy Mexican oregano, it has a much more intense flavor. You can use fresh or leftover grilled or roasted chicken, but what I normally do is to boil either bone in, cut up pieces or whole birds then use the resulting rich stock to make the soup.

I also like to add grilled corn to my version and I simmer the cobbs as well to extract every bit of sweet corn flavor. I also puree corn tortillas with some of the stock and add it to the soup as not only a slight thickening agent but also to add the wonderful flavor of the tortillas.

This recipe makes a large batch so if, like mine, your freezer is maxed out right now, you can just make a half batch.

Fire Roasted Tortilla Soup

Ingredient

• 4 ears Fresh corn
• 2 TBS Olive oil
• 3 each Onions, sliced into strips vs rings
• 6 each Large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 each 14 oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes – I like Muir Glen Organic brand
• 3 TBS Fresh oregano, stemmed and chopped (substitute 1 TBS dried Oregano)
• 1 TBS Ground Cumin
• 1 TBS Chile powder – Gebhardt’s brand is the best
• 1 TBS Chipotle puree or to taste
• 16 cups Chicken broth
• 1 each Canned diced green chiles, drained
• 1 - 1/2 to 2 pounds Cooked, shredded chicken
• 6 each Corn tortillas
• As needed Corn tortilla chips
• As needed Diced avocado
• As needed Grated Jack or cheddar cheese
• As need Fresh Cilantro

Directions

STEP 1

Grill corn until it is lightly charred all over. You can also char it over on open flame on stove top or under broiler. Allow to cool slightly then cut off kernels. Reserve corn and cobs separately.

STEP 2

Place oil in large stock pot or enabled cast iron pot and med over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes not allowing onions to brown. Add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.

STEP 3

Next add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes. Then add all spices, chicken stock and corn cobs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cobbs and add chicken, corn and chiles.

STEP 4

Puree corn tortillas in blender ON LOW with 1 cup of the hot stock. Be very careful as hot liquids expand when blended. Cover top of blender with kitchen towel and hold in place before turning blender on. Add this puree to the soup, stir in and simmer 5 minutes further. Remove from heat.

STEP 5

Ladle into large bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, grated cheese and chopped cilantro.