Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup

On the Anastasis & Africa Mercy we served chicken tortilla soup with fresh chips (corn tortillas cut in wedges, fried, & salted) and salsa, often serving rice as well. On the Caribbean Mercy we bought the chips, there were no fryers on board. This recipe tastes so much better just grilling the chicken but I have a few other options I think you should try as well.

I won't bore you with the bulk preparations from the galley but walk you thru a recipe that's close to mine (for home use) that is from allrecipes.com: chicken tortilla soup -->

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

I omitted the chili powder and use chipotle peppers or roasted cumin instead -- much better taste. Chipotle peppers are smoked & dried Jalapeno peppers, not as hot and adds great smoky taste. Next, use a dry non-stick for toasting some cumin seeds. Then grind up(electric coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or ziploc bag and hammer! LOL)...this develops a greater, more complex taste to the soup than chili powder.

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Here I would suggest a good brand of Fire Roasted Tomatoes.

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
• 1 cup white hominy

If you are not a hominy person, leave it out

• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

Let's grill these chickens, its going to add another dimension of flavor that will make your soup stand-out. Or another good fast option is buying the rotisserie chicken at the grocery store or Sam's/Costco Club and picking the meat off. ***Or if your in California Bay Area Mi Pueblo has an awesome grilled chicken done in front of the store on certain days! (I think the one close to San Jose on Story Road or maybe Capitol) If anybody can get that marinade/rub they are using for THAT chicken I would love it! Been trying for years!

• Fresh tortilla chips

If you can't make fresh chips Chili's chips are a good pickup option without costing much and being 'same day' fresh. Order them to-go.

• sliced avocado
• shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

The way I like to eat it is to put some chips in the bottom of the bowl, put the soup on top, a little cheese, slice of avocado, then (if you have limes) a fresh squeeze of lime juice over the top.

What's the best chicken tortilla soup you have ever had? Recipe or Restaurant?If you have enjoyed this post please help by sharing! (Pinterest buttons also appear on post pictures)
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Christmas Dinner

A lot of people have asked either my wife or I what we had planned for dinner, and or what we had for Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner. Hate to disappoint others but we usually don't do 'traditional' meals for holidays.

This year it was just us (wife and I) and the boys. There was to much sickness going on with friends and extended family so it was small and...no not intimate, remember we have two young boys...loud and rowdy, BUT FUN!

Back to the topic. On Christmas Eve I made Chicken Tortilla Soup (our own recipe) but I sure do miss the grilled whole chickens I used to get from Mi Pueblo's in California I used! They would grill those chickens out in front of the store and the rub/marinade they used on them was excellent! Kind of like a rotisserie seasoning, but much better. I searched online for a copycat recipe to no avail.

Christmas dinner was my own homemade thin crust pizza made with a dough I developed for it. Nothing secret or special to it except I know exactly how our family likes to eat and I like to put a few herbs and spices right in the dough and use certain techniques to get the crust and chew to come out just perfect for us. Oh, I made some breadsticks too...