Chicken Tortilla Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup carrot, sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chiles (chipotle chiles are sold in cans, put in blender to puree)
• 10 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• salt, to taste
• 2 -3 lbs broiler-fryer chickens, cut up
• 1 cup tomato, peeled, sliced thin
• 1 cup red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup cilantro, stems removed, chopped fine
• 10 ounces grated monterey jack cheese
• 3 cups vegetable shortening
• 10 corn tortillas
• 2 -3 limes, cut into wedges

Recipe

• 1 in a large stockpot (2 gallons), melt the butter over a medium heat.
• 2 add yellow onions, celery and carrots.
• 3 saute' until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes).
• 4 add water, chipotle puree, spices and chicken to sautee'd vegetables and bring to a boil.
• 5 lower heat and simmer for 1 hour (or until chicken is thoroughly cooked).
• 6 skim off the fat and impurities that rise to the top.
• 7 remove the chicken from the soup.
• 8 when it's cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones from chicken and shred.
• 9 add shredded chicken back to soup.
• 10 add tomatoes, red onion and cilantro to the soup and cook for 5 - 10 minutes.
• 11 prepare the garnish:.
• 12 heat vegetable shortening in a medium sauce pan until hot, but not smoking.
• 13 cut tortillas in 1/4" strips and fry until crisp, it may be necessary to fry in batches.
• 14 drain on paper towels.
• 15 divide the tortilla strips and put in soup bowls.
• 16 ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated cheese, diced tomatoes and cilantro.
• 17 squeeze a wedge of lime into each bowl and serve hot.