Chicken Tortilla Soup

1. 1

   Heat 1/2 cup neutral oil in a medium Dutch oven or pot over medium heat until shimmering. Line a plate with paper towels. Working in 3 batches, fry 6 thinly sliced corn tortillas, stirring and flipping frequently, until crisp and light golden-brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the tortilla strips to the plate. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Add more oil as needed if the pot gets too dry.

   45s
2. 2

   Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the pot (don’t worry about straining any broken bits of fried tortilla out). Return to medium-high heat and add 1 diced large yellow onion, 2 finely diced medium poblano peppers, 3 finely grated garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro stems. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes.

   8 min
3. 3

   Stir in 2 teaspoons ground ancho chili, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth, 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 cups frozen corn kernels, 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the flavors meld, 15 to 20 minutes.

   1 min
4. 4

   Turn off the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve with the tortilla strips and desired toppings.

Recipe Notes

1. 5

   Make ahead: The soup can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat. The fried tortilla chips can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.Storage: Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Leftover fried tortilla strips can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.