I have been making this recipe for years. I believe I found a similar recipe to this years ago in Fine Cooking Magazine and made a few changes to it, to suit my taste.
This soup hits the spot if you are hungry for a taco and want something a little lighter. It is perfect for dinner or lunch and in the winter or summer.
Yield 4 servings
2 Tbsp avocado oil + 1 cup for frying
½ cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 skinless chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Salt and pepper
8 cups chicken broth
12 2-inch stems of cilantro for the broth, + ½ cup chopped leaves for the garnish
8 6 -inch corn tortillas, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1½ cups tomato, diced
2 ripe avocados, diced
½ cup feta
4 lime wedges
Put 2 Tbsp of oil in a large pot, add the onion, and cook over medium heat until the onion has softened. Add the chili powder and tomato paste and stir, being sure not to scorch the paste.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place them in the pot with the chili paste, turning them once, so they are coated. Pour in 1 cup of broth and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook the chicken, turning once halfway through, until it’s tender, about 30 minutes. Add a little more broth if the pan gets dry. Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the pan, shred it into bite-size pieces, and set aside.
Add the remaining broth to the pot and the cilantro stems and simmer, uncovered, until the broth has reduced by about one quarter and is flavorful, about 20 minutes.
While the broth is simmering, fry the tortillas. Layer paper towels on a plate. Heat ½ cup oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the strips to the skillet and fry until they are golden brown. Use tongs to turn them as they cook. Transfer the strips to the paper towel. Add the remaining oil and repeat the same frying process with the other half of the tortillas.
Lastly, remove the cilantro stems from the pot and add the chicken, corn, and black beans, and tomatoes to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with tortilla strips, avocado, feta, cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Just Salt It, and enjoy!
