Ran across this recipe in Food & Wine. This version leans into deep, smoky flavor from chipotle chiles in adobo, softened onions and garlic, and a long simmer in rich chicken stock. Using a Costco rotisserie chicken keeps it approachable (and affordable!) for a weeknight, and the toppings turn it into something special at the table.
Best of all, this tortilla soup gets even better after a day in the fridge, making it ideal for meal prep, casual entertaining, or freezing for later. Make a pot on Sunday and enjoy comfort all week long.
A smoky, comforting tortilla soup made with chipotle chiles, rotisserie chicken, and rich chicken stock. Easy to prepare, great for make-ahead meals, and finished with fresh toppings like avocado, lime, and queso fresco.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften and brown around the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, bay leaves, and ground cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid slightly reduces, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the onions are very soft and the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the chicken and simmer until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cilantro stems and season with additional salt to taste.
- Serve hot, topped with cilantro leaves, avocado slices, lime wedges, pickled onions, queso fresco, and tortilla chips.
Notes
If you don’t have cumin seeds, you’re fine – you can swap it straight across. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (toasted & ground) = ~1 teaspoon ground cumin. Pre-ground cumin is usually a touch less aromatic than freshly toasted-and-ground seeds. If your ground cumin is older, you might consider using 1¼ teaspoons instead of 1 to compensate.