Tortilla Soup - Cancun Style
Grrrrrgh!
Course : Soups
From: HungryMonster.com
Serves: 6
 

Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      medium        frying chicken -- cut up
     1/2  medium        onion -- rough chopped
   1      teaspoon      garlic puree
   2      tablespoons   vegetable Oil
   6      cups          water
   2      cans          Swanson's chicken broth
   1                    Anaheim pepper -- seeded, rough chop
   1                    Hungarian Wax or Jalapeno pepper -- seeded, rough chop
   2                    bay leaves -- fresh
   4                    basil Leaves -- fresh OR
   1      tablespoon    dried basil flakes
     1/2  teaspoon      salt
     1/4  teaspoon      black pepper, freshly ground
   1 1/2  tablespoons   Hungarian paprika
   3      medium        ripe red tomatoes -- chopped 1/4"
                        ***For the chips***
     1/2  cup           vegetable Oil
  10      6"            dia. corn Tortillas *
                        ***For the garnish***
   1      medium        Haas Avocado -- peeled and sliced
   1      cup           Monterey jack cheese -- grated
                        lime or lemon juice -- freshly squeezed
 

Preparation:

* Corn Tortillas should be cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Brown the chicken in two non-stick skillets in 2 tablespoons of olive or peanut oil until golden brown. Do not burn the chicken or the drippings in the pan. While chicken is browning, sauté the onions and garlic in a little oil until translucent. Transfer to stock pot. When chicken is browned, transfer chicken and chicken fat to the stock pot. Deglaze the skillets with some of the water and transfer to the stock pot. Add the remaining water, the chicken broth, basil leaves, paprika, and chilies. Add salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours. Remove chicken pieces and debone the meat. Put the stock through a strainer and discard all solids that are not good chicken meat. Chop the chicken into 1/4" chunks and return to stock pot along with the chopped tomatoes. Skim as much of the chicken fat off surface of soup as possible and discard. Or put soup in refrigerator overnight and remove crystallized fat and discard. Heat the frying oil in a 10-inch skillet until hot. Cook tortilla strips a few at a time in oil until light golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds; drain on paper towels. Store-bought tortilla can be substituted but use restaurant style. Serving: Place a handful of tortilla strips in a bowl and pour hot soup over tortilla strips. Give each bowl of soup a dash of lime/lemon juice, as much as a teaspoon. Top each bowl of soup with some of the grated cheese and a few avocado slices.