Chicken Tortilla Soup
The weather here in St Louis has been like a yo-yo for the past few weeks. One day it’s in the high 60s to low 70s, and the next day it’s in the 90s – crazy! Fall is my favorite time of year when the leaves change their color from green to red, orange and yellow. I relish taking long drives, the scenery is breathtaking. Although the trees haven’t reached their peak yet, it’s coming – soon!
While we experienced one of those cooler fall-like days recently, I decided to make some soup. My family has a thing for Tortilla Soup so I thought I’d try this recipe from a Colorado restaurant called The Last Steep Bar & Grill in Crested Butte. It was so good we were all going back for seconds and some of us still had room for thirds.
This recipe serves 10-12 people, but since we were a much smaller group I halved the ingredients. If you’re a fan of Chicken Tortilla Soup this recipe won’t disappoint you. Although it has a number of ingredients it’s so quick to put together. Don’t be fooled by the Cholula sauce or Chipotle, it wasn’t too spicy at all – in fact, it was perfect! Next time I’ll add even more chicken and veggies, to make it even heartier. This tortilla soup tastes so authentic and is perfect for a crowd. I’ll be making it again, just as soon as the weather cools down.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp. green chili, diced
- 2 Tbsp jarred roasted red peppers, diced
- 1 1/2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 quart (32 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 gallon (128 oz) chicken stock
- 1 gallon water mixed with 4 oz. chicken base
- 1/4 cilantro bunch, chopped
- 1/4 lime, juiced
- 2 Tbsp. Cholula sauce
- 1/8 cup corn (I used frozen)
- 1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
- 3 cups chicken, cooked and pulled (I used Roasted Chicken from the market)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups tortilla chips, plus extra for garnish
Directions:
- In a large pot with a small amount of oil, saute onions, peppers, chili, tomatoes, garlic and mushrooms. Add remaining ingredients, including tortilla chips. Boil and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, tortilla chips, sour cream and grated cheddar.
The Last Steep Bar and Grill p Crested Butte, Colorado