Spicy Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or more to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 tablespoons oil, divided
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 (12 ounce) package fire-roasted frozen corn
• 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• ¼ cup chicken broth, or as needed (Optional)
• ½ cup crispy tortilla strips (Optional)

Step 1

Place the guajillo and ancho chile peppers with a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Cover them with water and bring it to a boil. Let the peppers simmer gently over medium-low heat until they soften, which should take about 10 minutes. Once they're done, drain the water and set the peppers aside to cool.

Step 2

Add the chicken, garlic, and a good pinch of salt to a large pot. Cover everything with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until it’s tender enough to shred easily, about 10 minutes. Take the chicken out and let it cool a bit before shredding it with two forks. Don’t forget to strain the broth and save it for later—it adds great flavor to the soup.

Step 3

While the peppers are cooling, toss the diced tomatoes and the softened chiles into a blender and puree until smooth.

Step 4

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook it, stirring occasionally, until it’s soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the oregano and paprika, then cook a bit longer until the onions start to brown, around 10 to 12 minutes. Push the onions to the sides of the pot to make a little well in the center, pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and then add the pureed tomato and chile mixture. It should sizzle when it hits the hot oil—give it a good stir and cook everything together for about 3 minutes.

Step 5

Now, add the shredded chicken to the pot, stirring to coat it evenly with the sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Then pour in the reserved chicken broth, add the corn and chicken bouillon, and bring it all to a boil. Turn the heat down and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can meld. If the soup feels too thick, just add a bit more broth to loosen it up.

Step 6

Serve the soup hot, topped with crispy tortilla strips for a nice crunch.