Barefoot Bloggers - Chicken Tortilla Mexican Soup

This week my Barefoot Contessa's recipe was chosen by Judy of Judy’s Gross Eats . I love soup so I was really thrilled to get to try this one.

I went to the store, list in hand, and got all the ingredients I needed. Or so I thought. Once I started chopping and cooking, I realized I had purchased tortilla chips rather than the fresh corn tortillas. I sent my DH to the store with yet another list. As usual, he called from the store and said he had been to two grocery stores and there were no tortillas. He was tired and he was coming back with taco shells as a formidable substitute. One store had a space for them he said, but they were sold out. I did not have the heart to fuss at him for trying. So my soup is sans tortilla strips. I broke up some of the taco shells and threw in there, but I doubt it is the same as the fresh tortillas.

We loved this soup and I will be making it again this winter! It had a tiny kick to it and was very tasty. Here is the recipe if you want to try it!

Mexican Chicken Soup (serves 6 to 8)

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good 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 garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 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 starts 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 half, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-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.