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Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup – Cozy Dinner Recipe

Authentic chicken tortilla soup is simmered with a blended pasilla chile and tomato base, then finished with shredded chicken and crisp, golden tortilla strips. Avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, Mexican crema, and lime make each bowl bright and hearty.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Soaking time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 2 pasilla chiles dried, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 cup water boiling
  • 4 Roma tomatoes quartered
  • 0.5 yellow onion medium, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 6 cups chicken broth low-sodium, divided
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp Mexican oregano dried
  • 1 bay leaf
For the tortilla strips
  • 8 corn tortillas 6-inch, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
For serving
  • 1 avocado medium, diced
  • 0.5 cup queso fresco crumbled
  • 0.25 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
  • 0.33 cup Mexican crema
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 skillet
  • 1 blender

Method
 

Make the soup
  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat.
  2. Toast the pasilla chiles for about 20 seconds per side, until fragrant.
  3. Transfer the chiles to a heatproof bowl.
  4. Cover the chiles with the boiling water and soak for 15 minutes.
  5. Drain the chiles and blend them with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth until smooth.
  6. Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat.
  7. Add the blended mixture and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and darker in color.
  8. Stir in the remaining 5 1/2 cups chicken broth, chicken breasts, salt, oregano, and bay leaf.
  9. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
  10. Transfer the chicken to a plate and discard the bay leaf.
  11. Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot.
Fry the tortilla strips
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat.
  2. Fry the tortilla strips in batches for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden.
  3. Drain the tortilla strips on paper towels.
Serve the soup
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, and Mexican crema.
  2. Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For crisp strips, fry them in batches so the oil temperature stays steady. Refrigerate leftover soup for 3 to 4 days; it freezes well without the toppings or tortilla strips. For a dairy-free swap, omit the queso fresco and Mexican crema or use dairy-free alternatives.