Tortilla Soup Recipe

Simmer the chicken

Place chicken thighs in a large pot with 8 cups water, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer 20–25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and reserve the cooking liquid (about 6–7 cups). Shred chicken when cool enough and set aside.

Toast and rehydrate chiles

While chicken simmers, toast guajillo (and pasilla/ancho if using) in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water. Let soften 15 minutes, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the soaking liquid.

Char vegetables

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet or on a grill over high heat. Char roma tomatoes, quartered onion and garlic cloves until blackened in spots (about 6–8 minutes), turning as needed. Remove and let cool slightly.

Blend the chile broth

In a blender combine softened chiles (discard seeds), charred tomato halves, 2 charred garlic cloves, half the charred onion, chipotle in adobo, smoked paprika and cumin, and 1 cup of the reserved chicken cooking liquid or the 2 cups chicken stock. Blend until very smooth. Taste for salt. If too thick, add some reserved soaking liquid or stock 1/4 cup at a time to reach a soup-like consistency.

Combine and simmer

Strain blended chile mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot with the reserved chicken cooking liquid. Add the shredded chicken, hominy, remaining charred onion (sliced thin), 1 tsp salt and simmer gently 10–12 minutes to marry flavors. Stir occasionally. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Mix masa harina, all-purpose flour, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Add hot water and 1 tsp oil gradually and mix until a soft but not sticky dough forms. If too dry, add up to 1 tbsp more water. Pinch off dough into walnut-sized balls (about 1 inch). Using your thumb, press a small indentation into each to form a chochoyote (a small hollowed dumpling).

Gently drop dumplings into the simmering broth (after step 'Combine and simmer') spacing them so they do not stick. Cover and simmer 8–10 minutes until dumplings are cooked through (they will puff slightly and feel firm). Do not stir vigorously; gently move with a spoon if needed.

While dumplings cook, char the poblano pepper over an open flame, broiler or skillet until blistered on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap 10 minutes to sweat. Peel, seed and dice the poblano.

When dumplings are done, add the diced poblano, drained hominy (if not already added earlier), shredded chicken pieces (if removed), and lime juice to the pot. Stir gently and simmer 2–3 minutes to warm and combine. Taste and correct seasoning.

Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving for fresh herb aroma.

Slice blue corn tortillas into thin strips (about 1/4-inch wide). Heat 1 cup neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F if using a thermometer). Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and curled, 1–2 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; salt lightly.

To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls making sure each bowl gets broth, several masa chochoyote dumplings, hominy and shredded chicken. Top with a handful of warm tortilla strips, diced avocado, crumbled cotija, sliced radish and extra cilantro. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each bowl and serve lime wedges on the side.

Provide extra salt and pepper at the table and encourage squeezing additional lime to brighten soup. Leftover broth will keep refrigerated 3 days; store tortilla strips separately to keep them crisp.