Chicken Tortilla Soup - with actually great flavor

Best chicken tortilla soup EVER

INGREDIENTS Pantry Items Salt/Pepper (Duh) Cooking oil (olive oil, canola, whatever) Chicken stock (either 1 - 48oz stock or 2 - 32oz smaller stock containers) Chili in Adobo Smoked Paprika (optional, could use regular paprika) cayenne pepper (could omit with other type of spicy seasoning) pasta/noodles (I like orzo or egg noodles for soup) tortilla chips (optional - garnish) Fresh Items Chicken Thighs - ideally between 1.5lbs-2lbs (bone in, skin on - or off whatever your preference) Onion (red/white - whatever) Sweet Peppers (whatever colors) Jalapeno (or w/e hot pepper you like) Garlic cloves Fresh Cilantro (optional but really made this taste awesome) Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, as garnish - optional)

STEP 1: Cook Veggies

• add oil in stock pot on med heat (big flat bottomed pot with high sides)
• add white onion, sweet peppers (2 different colors if you want), 2 whole jalapenos (with seeds if you like spice), and salt to pot
• allow the veggies to get soft (5 mins) stirring occasionally
• add 3 minced garlic cloves, pepper, smoked paprika (1 tsp), cayenne pepper (1.5tbs)
• cook for 2 more minutes
• add 2 chilies in adobo sauce (looks like this) with a tablespoon of juice (save leftover chilies in tupperware and it’ll keep in fridge for a while)
• stir together and then remove veggies from pot to a plate

STEP 2: Par Cook Chicken

• add less than a tablespoon of oil to pot, heat to medium high (oil should splatter when a little drip of water hits the pan)
• add 2 bone in thighs to pan skin side down (cooking the chicken in batches allows for better flavor,browning and fat rendered from skin) * allow the chicken to brown by not touching or flipping it for 3 minutes
• take out browned chicken (place on plate that has the veggies on it) and add the other chicken thighs, skin side down and brown the rest of the chicken (don’t worry about finishing the chicken, it cooks more in the broth)

STEP 3: Bring Soup Together

• add veggies and chicken back into pot, turn pot down to low
• add half a can of crushed tomatoes and 2 bay leaves and stir to coat the veggies and chicken
• add chicken stock (half of the large stock container 48oz size or if you have 2 chicken stock containers, pour one whole one in)
• let it simmer 30min, stir if you have a chance

STEP 4: Finish it up

• Put on pot to boil water for pasta, once boils add favorite soup noodle
• take the chicken out of the pot, discard skin and shred the meat
• add the other half amount of chicken stock, turn heat to medium
• once the soup starts to bubble again add shredded chicken
• Taste and then add seasoning if needed (salt/pepper)
• drain cooked pasta, keep in separate container until serving
• Fill bowls halfway with noodles and then ladle on the soup
• garnish with cheese, chips, cilantro, avocado, jalapenos and/or green onion

So good.

bon appetit