Tortilla Chips

Tortilla means "little torta" or "little cake" in Spanish is mainly a potato-based omelette originating in Spain, and for a flatbread made from corn or wheat originally made by Mesoamerican peoples.

Flatbread tortillas have been eaten for many centuries in Mexico, where they are a staple. More recently, other countries have begun producing them to serve the expatriate Mexican market and the growing demand for Mexican food, particularly in North America, Europe and Eastern Asia. Mexican tortillas are commonly prepared with meat to make dishes such as tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.

Here is a recipe of the Chicken Tortilla Soup(Serves: 8)

Ingredients:

# 500 gm boneless, skinless chicken breast
# 6 diced tomatoes
# 1 tbsp sauce
# 12 (6-inch) corn / Whole wheat crumbled tortilla chips, preferably a little old and dried out
# 1 Large onion, chopped
# 5 cloves garlic, minced
# 1 tbsp olive oil/grapeseed oil / peanut oil,
# 2 cups water
# 6 cups chicken broth
# 1 tsp cumin
# 1 tsp chili powder
# 1 tsp salt
# 1/4 tsp black pepper
# 1 tsp smoked paprika
# 1 cup of frozen corn
# 1 cup pinto beans
# 1 tsp ground coriander
# 1 jalapeno, halved and thinly sliced
# 1 bay leaf
# 1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)
# 1 lime, cut into wedges
# 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro / parsley
# 1 large stalk of celery, leaves included, diced
# 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
# 1/2 cup shredded cheese
# 1 ripe medium sliced avocado for garnishing

Directions:

1. If you are starting with relatively fresh tortillas, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200°F for 10-15 minutes to dry them out a bit. It is best to start with tortillas that don't have a lot of moisture in them. Brush both sides of tortillas with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time, until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels or Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until strips begin to brown, stirring once halfway through baking; cool. Strips will become crisp when cooled. Reserve.

2. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the paprika, celery, carrots, coriander and sauce until vegetables are crisp-tender.. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Place the jalapeno and chicken.

3. Pour in water and add the chicken broth and season with cumin, chilli powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Add the pinto beans and brown rice, if using. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

4. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. To serve, peel and pit the avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices. Sprinkle half of crumbled tortilla chips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with thin slices of avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and parsley/cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. 

For Vegetarians just replace the Chicken part with Vegetables and vegetable broth.

This recipe for tortilla soup is not only incredibly tasty, extremely easy and quick, but most importantly is an ideal vessel for hot sauce! If you really feel the need to get fancy, you could always bake your own corn tortilla

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