Chicken Tortilla Soup
The weather has begun to cool as we say hello to Autumn. Our bodies finding themselves in a state of in-between, fluctuation. It feels intuitive to add an extra layer of clothing on the outside, and an extra layer of warmth on the inside. Warming foods will help our bodies ease into the transition of the colder months, adaptation.
Chicken Tortilla Soup is everything you want in a soup and more. It’s flavorful, rich and tangy, with different flavors and textures. The melted Cheddar, the crunchy Tortillas, the zesty Sour Cream and fresh Cilantro make this the funnest, most kid friendly and delicious Soup I can think of. It’s a meal on its own and a celebration of Soup season.
Organic Ingredients: Serves 6
8 Cups Chicken Broth**
3 cups Pastured Chicken Meat (mix of Breast and Thigh) shredded**
1 Onion, peeled & diced small
4 Cloves Garlic, peeled
1 Green Sweet Pepper, chopped into large pieces, seeds removed
1 Can/ 2 Cups Corn
1 Can/2 Cups Black Beans
1 Cup, Cilantro, washed, removed from stems and diced + 1/2 a cup more for serving
3 Tomatoes, medium-large size, on the vine
4 Tsp. Tomato Paste
Organic Ground Spices: 1 Tsp. Paprika, 1 Tsp. Cumin, 1 Tsp. Coriander
Celtic Sea Salt, to taste
2 Limes, 1 for recipe and 1 for serving
Tortilla Chips, crushed,for serving
Sour Cream, for serving
Shredded Cheddar Cheese, for serving
Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Avocado Oil or Ghee for sauteing
Method
**Every good soup begins with a Broth. Make in advance or the day of, but make it at home. To make Broth and cook Chicken place a whole Chicken in a large pot with 1 Onion - quartered, 6 cloves garlic - peeled, a thumbs worth of fresh Ginger - peeled and sliced small, a thumbs worth of fresh Turmeric - peeled and sliced small, 1/8 of a cup Apple Cider Vinegar, and a teaspoon of Sea Salt. Cover Chicken with drinking Water (approx 10 cups worth) and bring to a boil. Add in a few Bay leaves and Star Anise if you have them. Remove any scum that rises, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours. Remove from heat, allow to cool, remove Chicken and plate. Remove Skin and bones and discard. Shred Chicken Meat. Set aside approx. 3 cups worth of Chicken for Soup and reserve left overs in a Tupperware for future use...good for up to three days refrigerated. Sift Broth and reserve liquid. Discard Onion, Garlic, Ginger and Turmeric. Any left over Broth can be frozen for future use.**
Place Green Pepper, Garlic and Cilantro in a food processor and blitz to a paste like consistency.
In a large pot, saute Onion in some Olive Oil on medium heat until translucent. Add Green Pepper, Garlic and Cilantro Paste, Spices and Tomato Paste and saute for a further few minutes.
Place Tomatoes in food processor and blitz to a liquid like consistency.
Add Tomatoes to pot and Salt to taste. Add the Juice of one Lime. Add Chicken Stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least an hour and up to 2 hours. Add Black Beans and Corn and cook for 20 minutes. Add Shredded Chicken 5 minutes before finish.
Serve in a bowl with a handful of crushedTortilla Chips, shredded Cheddar Cheese, some fresh Cilantro, a squeeze of Lime and a dollop of Sour Cream. I add a little of my home made Chili Sauce to my bowl as well. Spectacular.
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