I love tortilla soup and this version is more green than the typical red.  The poblanos add a little heat, but not as spicy as the jalapeño, and lots of fresh cilantro help to build on the flavor.  I opted for white beans and corn to give the soup some extra depth.  I have included my recipe for homemade stock which makes all the difference in creating the best flavor base for your soup and helps to provide a very healthy soup.  You could use a canned stock and rotisserie chicken if you wanted to save yourself some time.  Either way, it’s a nice cozy soup for the fall.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

for chicken stock:

  • 1 whole chicken (3 1/2-4 pounds)
  • I onion, quartered
  • 1 carrot, peeled and halved
  • 1 celery stalk with leaves, cut into thirds
  • 5 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

for soup:

  • 1 onion, finely  diced
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 8 medium yellow tomatoes,  or one pint yellow cherry tomatoes small dice (about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 medium poblano, small dice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups frozen corn
  • 1 (15 oz) can white cannellini beans
  • 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 3 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Penzey’s adobo seasoning (or favorite Mexican spice blend)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, optional for heat
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • cilantro for serving (optional)
  • tortilla strips for serving (optional)
  • dollop of sour cream for serving (optional)
  • fresh chopped tomato for garnish (optional)
  • Sliced avocado for garnish (optional)
  • juice of one lime

Directions:

for stock:

Place the chicken, along with other ingredients in a large pot and add about 2  quarts of water (water should reach almost to the top of chicken) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and let the stock continue to cook for about 40 minutes-1 hour. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it off the bones in small pieces and save for the soup, discard bones.

for soup:

 

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven, or saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic, and poblano on medium heat for several minutes until vegetables are tender and fragrant.  Add yellow tomatoes and seasonings and continue to cook down mixture for about 10-15 minutes until most of liquid has evaporated. When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the corn and stock to soup along with the beans and shredded chicken.  Bring to a simmer and add chopped cilantro, lime and season to taste.  Garnish as desired.  Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!