Tortilla Soup Recipe

Prepare aromatics and chiles

Halve the white onion and peel the garlic. Roughly chop the roma tomatoes. If using whole dried ancho chiles that were fried previously, remove stems/seeds as needed and tear into pieces. If using canned rehydrated/fried ancho, drain slightly.

Sear chicken (optional)

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs lightly with 1/2 tsp of the salt and a pinch of pepper. Sear the thighs 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned (they will finish cooking in the broth). Remove and set aside.

Char tomatoes and aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped tomatoes, onion halves (cut side down), and whole garlic to the pot. Cook, turning occasionally, until the tomato skin is blistered and onion has charred edges, about 6–8 minutes. This step deepens flavor.

Simmer soup

Add the seared chicken back to the pot along with the chicken broth and 1 cup water. Add the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, the fried ancho chiles, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, remaining 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25–30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and flavors meld.

Shred chicken and blend base

Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Carefully ladle about 2 cups of hot broth and the solids (tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic) into a blender or use an immersion blender in the pot. Purée until mostly smooth (small bits are fine). Return puréed mixture and shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Keep the soup hot on low while preparing toppings.

Make tortilla strips

Stack tortillas and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide strips. Warm 1 cup vegetable oil in a medium skillet or deep pan over medium-high heat to about 350°F (175°C). Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and golden, about 1–2 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer strips to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt. Alternatively, for a lighter version, bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8–10 minutes with a light spray of oil, turning halfway.

Prep fresh toppings

Cut the avocado in half, remove pit, slice or dice. Crumble the queso fresco if not pre-crumbled. Chop cilantro. Quarter the limes for serving.

Plate and finish

Ladle hot soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets shredded chicken. Top each bowl with a generous handful of crispy tortilla strips, a few pieces of broken chicharron, sliced/diced avocado, a sprinkling of crumbled queso fresco, and chopped cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime over the bowl to taste. Serve immediately so tortilla strips remain crisp; keep additional tortilla strips on the side if desired.