I’m a big fan of tortilla soup and have made it somewhat of a hobby to try it at as many Mexican restaurants as possible. There was a certain something in the soups that were my favorite, and I finally figured out what it was when I tried a recipe with a chile pepper I’d never used before at home. Bingo! The flavor I’d been seeking. The best soups, in my humble opinion, are made with Ancho chile pepper. It’s a deep reddish brown, with the perfect mild-spicy flavor for tortilla soup.
I discovered this was the key when I was searching for a good recipe to make at home. I found one put out by McCormick, who, not surprisingly, sells Ancho chile pepper in their Gourmet Collection. With a some modification to suit my own tastes, this is the best at-home tortilla soup recipe I have found.
Tortilla Soup
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tbls. olive oil
1 Tbls. Ancho chile pepper
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 bay leaf
32 ounces chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can corn, drained
3/4 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Tortilla chips
2 limes, cut in wedges
1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add chopped onion. Cook until soft, 3 – 4 minutes. Add the chile pepper, garlic, cumin and bay leaves. Cook another minute or two, stirring constantly.
2. Add broth and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
3. Cool the soup and run it through a blender in batches. Return to saucepan.
4. Add the chicken and corn. Heat through.
5. Spoon into bowls. Serve with cheese, lime and tortilla strips.