Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Topped with crispy tortilla strips, this Mexican chicken soup provides a healthy dose of heat with guajillo and ancho chile peppers and fire-roasted corn. Top with sour cream, lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 306 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• ¼ cup chicken broth, or as needed (Optional)
• 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 3 tablespoons oil, divided
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or more to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (12 ounce) package fire-roasted frozen corn
• ½ cup crispy tortilla strips (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place guajillo chile peppers, ancho chile pepper, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-low heat until peppers have softened, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, drain peppers, and set aside to cool.

Step 2

Combine chicken, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks when cool enough to handle. Strain broth into a bowl and set aside to use in the soup.

Step 3

Combine diced tomatoes and cooled chile peppers in a blender; blend until smooth.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron soup pot over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and paprika; saute until onion starts to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Make a well in the center of the onions and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add pureed tomato-chile pepper mixture to the hot oil; it should sizzle. Stir sauce to combine with onions and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Step 5

Add shredded chicken to the pot and stir until completely coated in sauce; simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in reserved chicken broth, corn, and chicken bouillon until combined and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes, adding additional chicken broth if soup is too thick.

Step 6

Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips.