Description
This authentic Mexican chicken tortilla soup is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a rich, spiced broth with tomatoes, black beans, and sweetcorn. It’s garnished with crispy fried tortilla strips, creamy avocado, crumbled feta, fresh coriander, and a touch of lime, making it a perfect comforting meal with layers of vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1.2kg whole chicken
- 5 fat red chillies (4 whole and pierced, 1 sliced for serving)
- 2 dried ancho chillies
- 1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
- Bunch coriander, stalks and leaves separated
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 x 400g cans tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt (to season)
Add-ins
- 320g can sweetcorn, drained
- 400g can black beans, drained
- Zest and juice of 2 limes (reserve some juice for avocado)
Garnishes
- 4 corn tortillas, quartered and cut into strips
- 2 avocados, peeled, halved, and cut into chunks
- 200g feta or queso fresco, crumbled
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Sliced red chilli (from one reserved chilli)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken stock: Place the whole chicken, 4 whole pierced red chillies, dried ancho chillies, garlic halves, coriander stalks, and cinnamon stick in a large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the stock to cool for 20 minutes.
- Strain and reduce stock: Remove the chicken from the pan and strain the liquid into a large jug, discarding the aromatics. You should have about 800ml of stock. Return the stock to the pan and simmer until it reduces to about 600ml, then pour back into the jug to keep warm.
- Sauté the aromatics and spices: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the pan. Add the chopped onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, canned tomatoes, and sugar. Cook briefly to combine.
- Simmer the soup base: Pour the reduced chicken stock into the pan with the tomato and spice mixture. Season well with salt. Simmer the soup uncovered (lid ajar) for 30 minutes to develop flavors.
- Shred the chicken and add mix-ins: While the soup simmers, remove the skin from the cooled chicken and finely shred the meat. Add the shredded chicken, drained sweetcorn, black beans, lime zest, and most of the lime juice to the soup. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to warm through and meld flavors.
- Prepare the crispy tortilla strips: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add the tortilla strips and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- Prepare avocado garnish: Halve and peel the avocados, cut into small chunks, and toss gently with the remaining lime juice to prevent browning and add freshness.
- Assemble and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips, fresh coriander leaves, sliced red chilli, avocado chunks, and crumbled feta or queso fresco. Serve immediately for a vibrant and comforting Mexican-inspired meal.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chillies according to your preferred spice level.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with olive oil or avocado oil for a different flavor profile.
- Make sure to remove the cinnamon stick and chillies from the stock before serving to avoid bitterness.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock and meat with vegetable broth and roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Mexican chicken tortilla soup, tortilla soup, chicken soup, Mexican soup, spicy chicken soup, tortilla strips, avocado garnish
