Another Great Chicken Tortilla Soup

Found this recipe in a magazine and though it has multiple steps in preparation it is so worth it. I found the Ancho chilis in the Mexican section of my grocery store and I am told they are the sweetest of all the dried chilies. Hope you like this as much as my family did.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  dried ancho chile
• 1⁄2 cup boiling water
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  boneless skinless chicken thighs
•  kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch in coins
• 2  stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3  garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 6  cups chicken broth
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
• 6  corn tortillas
•  vegetable oil, for frying
•  sliced avocado
•  monterey jack cheese (shredded or crumbled)
•  sour cream
•  salsa
•  lime wedge
•  cilantro

Directions

1. Place chili in small, heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain, remove stem and seeds and slice into 1/2 inch strips and set aside.
2. In heave Dutch oven or soup pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, brown both sides, about 10 minutes total.
3. Add onion, carrots and celery and continue to cook about 8 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add garlic and cumin and cook an additional 2 minutes.
5. Add broth, reserved chili, tomatoes and cilantro and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
7. With your hands, tear 3 tortillas into 2-inch strips and add to soup. Continue to simmer about 15 minutes.
8. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to a cutting board, take soup off heat.
9. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth (or puree in small batches in a food processor.
10. With tow forks, shred chicken, return to soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Slice remaining tortillas into 1/4 inch strips. In small saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil until very hot. Fry tortilla strips until crisp, about 1 minute.
12. With slotted spoon, remove strips to paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt.
13. Serve soup in bowls topped with tortilla strips and any or all of the optional garnishes to include sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream, salsa, lime wedges and/or Cilantro.