1.30.2022

Aztecan soup

Sopa azteca is a delicious traditional Mexican soup recipe prepared with fried tortillas and served with avocado, cheese and cream.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast (with bone)
  • 2 cloves garlic , chopped
  • ½ onion , chopped
  • 6 tomatoes , peeled, seeded and diced
  • 2 pasilla chili peppers , cut into strips
  • 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
  • 3 leaves épazote (Mexican tea), thoroughly washed and dried.
  • 1 stalk celery , finely chopped
  • ½ bunch cilantro , finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 8 oz. panela cheese , diced (traditional mexican cheese)
  • 1 small avocado , diced
  • 4 pasilla chili peppers , fried
  • 2 tablespoons creme fraiche (or sour cream)
  • 2 limes
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Instructions

  • Cook the whole chicken breast with the bone in 6 cups (1,5 l) of water for 30 minutes after boiling point is reached.
  • Halfway through cooking, season with chicken stock powder, épazote, celery, half of the cilantro, bay leaf and oregano.
  • Remove the cooked chicken, shred and set aside. Reserve the broth.
  • Cut the tortillas into thin strips.
  • In a skillet, heat the sunflower oil and fry the tortilla strips very quickly in very hot oil. Mix well, being careful not to burn them.
  • Remove them from the oil and place them on paper towels to remove excess fat.
  • In the same oil, fry the 4 pasilla peppers over medium heat and set aside.
  • In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion until translucent.
  • Add the tomatoes and 2 pasilla peppers cut into strips. Mix well.
  • Cook covered on low heat for 10 minutes.
  • Liquefy with a little broth and mix for 3 minutes (the mixture must be fluid).
  • Push the mixture through a chinois strainer (fine sieve strainer) and pour it directly into the reserved chicken broth.
  • Cook over low heat until thickened.

To serve

  • At the bottom of a bowl (or a hollow dish), add the equivalent of a julienned tortilla and pour the broth over. Add a little chicken breast, cubes of cheese, avocado and 1 fried pasilla pepper.
  • Serve the soup and garnish with cream and the remaining cilantro.
  • Season with freshly squeezed lime.