Classic Tortilla Soup

54 Serves 6 $%
Our tortilla soup has been around the restaurant since the day we opened. If youre in a hurry
and you just cant wait to make the Rich Chicken Broth, you can use a grilled chicken breast
or pull the meat from a rotisserie chicken and use ready-made chicken broth. Heck, if youre
in that much of a pinch, your favorite tortilla chips can also be used instead of deep-frying the
tortillas for the Tortilla Crisps. But honestly, once you make this all the way through, we bet
youll never do it any other way.

Rich Chicken Broth

Strain the remaining broth, there should be

about 2 quarts, and return to a clean saucepan.
Skim off any fat that has accumulated on the
surface. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 2 quarts

(Make a bunch and freeze some for later.)

5

4
1
2
1

chicken legs and thighs

Water
shallots, peeled
whole head garlic, peeled
carrots
tablespoon fresh black peppercorns
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Tortilla Crisps

6 corn tortillas
Peanut oil, for frying

Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or deep fryer to

approximately 350 degrees F. Cut the tortillas
into 14-inch strips. Fry the strips for about 1 minute on each side, until theyre crispy and lightly
toasted.

Place the chicken in a large, heavy stockpot with

a lid. Add the water, shallots, garlic, carrots, and
peppercorns. The liquid should just barely cover
the chicken, so adjust the depth of the water, if
needed. Heat over medium-high heat and bring
the mixture to a boil. As the liquid begins to
heat, skim off the foam that rises to the surface,
and discard. When it begins to boil, lower the
heat to a constant simmer. Continue skimming
as needed. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly
ajar, and continue cooking for 90 minutes.

Assembling the Soup

Remove the pot from the heat, and leave the

chicken in the broth for 30 minutes, until thoroughly cool. When the chicken is cool enough
to handle, remove the skin and the bones and
discard. Shred the remaining chicken, there
should be about 3 cups, and reserve in a covered
container that can be reheated at serving time.

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (reserved from

the Rich Chicken Broth)
6 to 8 cups Rich Chicken Broth
1 to 2 limes, cut into generous wedges
2 to 3 jalapeo peppers, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 avocados, ripe but firm, cut into 12-inch
cubes
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
13 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Reheat the chicken and the broth separately,

until the chicken is warm and the broth is hot.
continued

30

For each serving, place approximately 1 2 cup

of the shredded chicken in each bowl. For each
serving, top the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the
chopped jalapeos, the juice from at least 1 lime

wedge, 1 heaping tablespoon of the cubed avocados, and 2 heaping tablespoons of the shredded
cheese. Finish with a generous helping of the
crispy tortilla strips and a sprig of cilantro.

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