Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Name: Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 6 6-inch tortillas (150 g) corn tortillas, halved, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips; 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1 tbsp (8 g) mild chili powder; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 2 peppers (plus the sauce clinging to them) (30 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced; 1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1½ lb (about 3 breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed; 1½ cups (225 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw; 1 tsp, plus more to taste (4 g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes; ½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped; 2 medium (300 g) ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and diced (optional); 1 cup (113 g) Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (optional); ½ cup (120 g) sour cream or Mexican crema (optional); 2 limes (134 g) limes, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A brothy, brick-red soup built on sautéed vegetables, fire-roasted tomatoes and smoky chipotle, with tender shredded chicken, black beans and corn. Crisp oven-baked tortilla strips and a squeeze of lime finish each bowl.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 9 cups soup (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the tortilla strips
6 6-inch tortillas (150 g) corn tortillas, halved, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
For the soup
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1 tbsp (8 g) mild chili powder
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
2 peppers (plus the sauce clinging to them) (30 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1½ lb (about 3 breasts) (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups (225 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw
1 tsp, plus more to taste (4 g) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
½ cup, loosely packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
To serve
2 medium (300 g) ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and diced (optional)
1 cup (113 g) Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (optional)
½ cup (120 g) sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)
2 limes (134 g) limes, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large rimmed baking sheet (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot with lid
Sharp knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C) before you start. The tortilla strips bake while you chop the vegetables.
Open the can of chipotles and mince only what you need. Two peppers give medium heat. Use 1 pepper for mild or 3 for spicy.
Pick breasts of similar thickness (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm) so they cook at the same pace. Boneless thighs also work.
Have a plate and two forks ready for shredding the chicken.

1
Bake tortilla stripsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss the tortilla strips on a large rimmed baking sheet with the vegetable oil and ¼ tsp fine salt.
- Spread them into a single layer with no overlap.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, stirring once halfway, then move to a paper towel-lined plate.
- They crisp further as they cool.
- Start step 2 while they bake.
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Ready when: Strips are deep golden at the edges, dry and stiff when tapped
Tip: Edges brown fast in the last 2 minutes, so check at 10 minutes.
2
Prep the aromatics
- While the strips bake, dice the onion and red pepper into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic.
- Finely mince the chipotle peppers with the adobo sauce that clings to them.
- Measure the cumin, chili powder and oregano into one small bowl so they are ready to add together.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in even pieces so they soften at the same rate
Tip: Wash your hands after handling chipotles and keep them away from your eyes.
3
Sauté the vegetables
- Set a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- When it shimmers, add the onion and red pepper with the 1 tsp kosher salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, with only a few light golden spots
Tip: If the vegetables start to brown deeply, lower the heat slightly. Browning makes the broth taste bitter rather than sweet.
4
Bloom spices and paste
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, tomato paste and minced chipotles.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes so the paste darkens slightly and the spices toast in the oil.
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Ready when: Mixture smells toasty and fragrant, and the paste has turned from bright red to brick red
Tip: Keep stirring. Garlic and spices scorch quickly once the pan is dry.
5
Simmer chicken in broth
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid so they are submerged.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 18 minutes.
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Ready when: Thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle with only small bubbles. A hard boil makes chicken breast tough and stringy.
6
Shred the chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Leave the broth on very low heat in the meantime.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart easily into moist strands with no pink in the center
Tip: Pour any juices from the plate back into the pot for extra flavor.
7
Add beans, corn, chicken
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the black beans and frozen corn.
- Raise the heat to medium and bring back to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Corn is tender and bright, and the broth has deepened to a rich red-orange
Tip: Stir once or twice so the beans don't settle and stick to the bottom of the pot.
8
Finish with lime and cilantro
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- Taste and add up to ½ tsp more kosher salt if needed.
- The soup should taste smoky, bright and well seasoned.
- Add another squeeze of lime if it tastes flat.
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Ready when: Soup tastes balanced, with smoke and heat up front and lime on the finish
Tip: Add lime and cilantro off the heat. Cooking them dulls their fresh flavor.
9
Serve with toppings
- Ladle the hot soup into six bowls.
- Top each with a handful of tortilla strips, some diced avocado, grated Monterey Jack and a spoonful of sour cream.
- Serve with lime wedges on the side.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming hot and strips are still crisp on top
Tip: Add the strips at the table, just before eating, so they stay crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Poach the chicken in the soup base itself. It seasons the meat and flavors the broth at the same time.
Toast the tomato paste and spices for the full 2 minutes in step 4. It deepens the flavor and gives the soup its rich color.
Always finish with lime off the heat. Acid brightens the soup and balances the smoke of the chipotle.
For a thicker, more rustic soup, mash about ½ cup of the beans against the side of the pot in step 7.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 8 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. The flavor improves overnight. Store the tortilla strips airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat the soup and re-crisp the strips in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3 minutes if needed. Prepare the toppings on the day of serving."

Storage & reheating

"Cool the soup completely within 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container, without toppings, for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space at the top. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming and 165°F (74°C), adding a splash of broth or water if it is too thick. Keep the tortilla strips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs stay more tender. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, until they reach at least 165°F (74°C), though they will be more tender at 175°F (79°C).
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce → 1 tsp smoked paprika plus ¼ tsp cayenne. Gives a similar smoky heat without the adobo tang. Add them with the other spices in step 4.
corn tortillas → Store-bought tortilla chips, lightly crushed. Skip step 1 and add them at the table. Use unsalted chips if you can, or reduce the salt in the soup slightly.
fire-roasted diced tomatoes → Regular canned diced tomatoes. The soup will be a little less smoky, so keep the chipotle amount at 2 or more.