Description
This vibrant Mexican chicken soup features a smooth puree of tomatoes, dried chili, and spices, simmered with tender chicken breasts and finished with fresh lime juice. Served with crunchy tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips and fresh toppings like avocado, red onion, and coriander, this comforting soup is perfect for a flavorful meal with a touch of zest.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 ancho or other large dried chilli, deseeded and softened in boiling water for about 10 mins
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 400g can plum tomatoes
- 1½ l chicken stock
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced
- juice of 2 limes
Toppings and Garnishes
- Tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips
- Chopped avocado
- Lime wedges
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Coriander leaves
For Homemade Tortilla Strips
- 6 corn tortilla wraps
- Olive oil spray or a little olive oil for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prepare the tortilla strips: Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut the 6 corn tortilla wraps into thin slices. Place them on a baking tray and lightly spray or brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then bake for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, and soften for approximately 5 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Add chili, spices, and tomatoes: Stir in the softened ancho chili and half a teaspoon of ground cumin. Add the canned plum tomatoes and 1½ liters of chicken stock. Mix well to combine the flavors.
- Puree the soup base: Using a food processor or hand blender, puree the soup in batches or directly in the pot until smooth. This creates a silky, rich base for the soup.
- Cook the chicken: Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sliced chicken breasts, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish the soup: Stir in the fresh lime juice and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls.
- Serve with toppings: Place tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips in the center of the table along with chopped avocado, lime wedges, red onion slices, and coriander leaves for everyone to customize their bowls.
Notes
- You can substitute shredded leftover cooked chicken or turkey for the chicken breasts (about 250g). Simply heat through in the soup until piping hot.
- Adjust the amount of dried chilli to suit your heat preference.
- Use fresh lime juice to add a refreshing citrus note that balances the richness of the soup.
- Homemade tortilla strips offer a crisp, fresh alternative to store-bought tortilla chips.
- This soup freezes well; reheat gently to preserve the texture of the chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Mexican chicken soup, homemade tortilla strips, lime chicken soup, simmered chicken soup, ancho chili soup
