Tortilla Soup with Avocado Relish
Just in time for chilly winter temperatures, I’m cooking up some flavorful Tortilla Soup. This recipe is inspired by my first-ever-restaurant, Mesa Grill. It is also straight from the pages of my Beat Bobby Flay Cookbook, so you know it comes together quickly.
Tortilla Soup
with Avocado Relish
Serves 4
1 ancho chile, seeded
Boiling water
1 or 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, to taste
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 quart store-bought low sodium chicken stock or broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons Bobby’s spice rub (recipe below)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado relish (recipe below)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese
4 ounces store-bought blue and yellow tortilla chips, coarsely chopped
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Bobby’s Spice Rub
1/2 cup sweet Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Store in a tightly sealed container in the panty for up to 6 months.
Avocado Relish
4 Haas avocados, cut into large dice
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
Juice of 2 limes
1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, fresh or roasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the avocado, onion, lime juice, chiles and cilantro in a large bowl. Using a fork, coarsely mash the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
1 Put the ancho chile in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit for 15 minutes. Reserving the soaking liquid, drain the chile and transfer to a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid and the chipotle peppers. Purée until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the food processor and processing again, if necessary.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and deepened in color, about 2 minutes.
3 Add the stock and ancho paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until slightly reduced and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Strain the soup into a large bowl (discard the solids). Rinse out the Dutch oven, return the soup to the pot, and cook over high heat until warmed through and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
4 While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
5 Put the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the spice rub, and salt and black pepper. Toss well to coat the chicken evenly. Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and charred on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until cooked through, 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
6 Divide the chicken among 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over the chicken, top with a dollop of relish, sprinkle with both cheeses, and top with a handful of tortilla chips. Garnish with cilantro leaves.