Chicken Enchilada Soup with Homemade Lime Tortilla Strips
INGREDIENTS
For the Soup
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (or 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds and stem removed (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup masa harina (a thickening agent and authentic to this dish)
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 10-ounce cans of red enchilada sauce or use my homemade recipe below
- 1 14-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14-ounce can of corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 4-ounce cans of green chiles
- 8 ounces (1 bar) of cream cheese
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- Garnishes: Sour cream, shredded lettuce, and homemade lime tortilla strips
For Red Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For the Lime Tortilla Strips
- 7 small flour or corn tortillas
- 1 1/2-2 cups frying oil, I used canola
- Badia's Lime Pepper Seasoning
- Coarse Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Soup
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Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper to the pan. Cook for 5-7 on each side or until the chicken is almost done. Remove and shred into bite-sized pieces.
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Add chopped onion to the pan with additional oil if needed. Saute for 4 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add jalapeno (if using) and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
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Add masa harina and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add one cup of the chicken broth to ensure masa harina is well blended.
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Add the rest of the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, black beans, corn diced tomatoes, and green chilies.
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Stir together to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, uncovered, until the soup begins to simmer. Stir often to make sure the masa harina gets fully incorporated into the soup.
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Remove the Dutch oven or pot from the heat and add the cream cheese and cheese. Stir it into the soup until it completely dissolves and melts.
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Serve immediately with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and homemade lime tortilla strips.
For the Enchilada Sauce
- In a small pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add flour and whisk together for 1 minute.
- Add chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and dried oregano and whisk together for 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to make sure no big lumps form.
- Add the tomato paste and whisk the enchilada sauce until completely smooth.
- Bring to a simmer, and remove from heat. Sore in a tight-lid mason jar for up to a week. This makes the exact amount required for the soup.
For the Lime Tortilla Strips
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Cut large tortillas into 3 parts and small/medium in half then cut them into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) strips.
Fried tortilla strips:
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Add the oil into a medium/large pot (preferably a medium shallow pot or a skillet with high sides). You should have at least 3/4-1 inch of oil in your pan. Heat the oil until very hot (a drop of water sizzles in contact with the oil) or until it reaches about 350°F (175°C).
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Fry the strips in batches making sure to not add too much to the pot (the temperature of the oil will decrease too much and the strips will soak up oil). Fry the strips until golden, turn them over using a fork, and fry just briefly for a couple of seconds until light golden in color (take the strips out of the oil when they are just lightly golden, they will darken a bit after they have been removed from the oil).
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Remove the strips from the oil with a slotted spoon or a spider strainer and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
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Season immediately with salt and lime pepper after each new batch. Let cool and use to garnish soup.
