Thursday, December 18, 2008

This week in the kitch...

Mexican Chicken Soup with Homemade Tortilla Chips!
This has become my new fav for weeknight dinners. I'll make it on a Sunday and have plenty of left-overs to get you through your work week! For quicker preparation you can use a ready-made roasted chicken from your local grocery store.


Mex
ican Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2½ quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade or low sodium store-bought
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips (homemade preferably).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in ½, then cut them crosswise into ½-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips (preferably homemade-see recipe under Sides and Bites).
Yields: 6-8 servings. Time to make: 50 min
Texas Tortilla Chips
This week I wanted the fried "good stuff", but you can also bake the tortillas for a healthier option. 400 degrees for 10 minutes.


Ingredients:

Vegetable oil for frying

Twelve 6-inch white corn tortillas
Course sea salt

Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to a rolling boil.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, and cut the pile into sixths to make chips.

Raise the heat to high. Working in batches, fry the chips, turning them with a skimmer or slotted spoon, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chips to a paper towel-lined pan to drain. Season with salt immediately. Cool and serve.
Yields: 4 -6 servings. Time to make: 30 min

3 comments:

  1. Your soup looks really, really good -- a great combination with the Texas Tortilla Chips. :)

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  2. Thanks for your comment...it IS good! Let me know if you try it!

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  3. The texas tortilla chips look soooo good.

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