Mexican Tortilla and Lime Soup

This soup was full of all kinds of flavor but man was it spicy! Simply because I didn't have them, I made the recipe without Mexican oregano or bay leafs, and it was still good. I topped it off with crushed Don Julio tortilla chips(instead of making my own), mozzarella, and A LOAD of sour cream to cool it down.  If you're into spiciness this is the soup for you!

Alternate Use: My husband decided to make a quesadilla the next day by draining the juice from the soup and placing the remaining chicken and veggies in between two tortillas before cooking it in our Quesadilla Maker. He claimed it was "muy bien!"

A rotisserie chicken makes this easy, or use any leftover cooked chicken. You can make the soup and crisp the tortillas ahead of time; store separately in covered containers.

Mexican Tortilla and Lime Soup

2 oat bran or whole wheat tortillas


4 cloves garlic, peeled


1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, plus 1/2 tsp adobo sauce


2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded


2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped


3 medium tomatoes, chopped


6 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium canned)
J

uice of 2 limes, plus the rinds (4 halves of squeezed lime)


1 tsp dried Mexican oregano


1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste


Chopped garnishes: red onion, avocado, radishes, queso fresco (or crumbled feta cheese), cilantro (some or all, optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Slice tortillas into thin matchsticks, 2-3 inches long, and spread on a cookie sheet.

3. Leave out on the countertop to get a bit stale, for 30-60 minutes, while you prepare the soup.

4. In a small food processor or with a mortar and pestle, puree the garlic and chipotle, and set aside.

5. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté onion until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic-chili puree, and stir 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp adobo sauce, stock, lime juice, lime halves, oregano and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. 
6. Add shredded chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Remove lime rinds. Set soup aside, covered.

7. Bake the tortilla strips for 10 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and garnish with a few tortilla strips. Pass bowls of garnishes for each person to add, to taste.