WORLDS BEST CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP RECIPES

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside. Place chicken in a large pot or dutch oven and cover in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred meat. Discard bones and set meat aside. Dice canned tomatoes and return them to their juice. Set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and oregano and turn off heat, stirring over the next minute to keep oregano from burning. Set this aside. Either pour off chicken broth into a separate container or use a new pot to saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, cream, and all the oregano and olive oil from the small skillet. Stir to combine. Turn off heat. Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top--the more the better! Crusty Italian bread is good, too.

Steps:

• Start by rinsing and stemming 7-8 plum tomatoes.  Roast them in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.
• For the chicken, add the seasoning ingredients to a bowl:  2 tablespoons crushed New Mexican chile (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a dollop of oil.  Chop up two chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and combine well with the seasoning.
• For the rice, start by adding a dollop of oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 1 cup of rice and saute until the rice is turning opaque and golden brown.   Meanwhile, add 1-2 of the roasted tomatoes to a blender along with 1/2 onion and a single garlic clove.  Combine well and add this puree to the rice, cooking for a few minutes.  Add 2 cups of stock and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Set aside and cover, letting it sit its own steam for a few minutes.  Salt to taste.  (Note:  it's okay to pull the roasting tomatoes from the oven a bit early when you need them for the rice.)
• When the tomatoes are done roasting add six of them to a blender for the Salsa along with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 jalapeno, and a pinch of salt (optional).  Pulse blend, leaving it a bit chunky.  Taste for seasoning and for heat level.  You can always add more jalapeno if you want a more fiery Salsa.
• To cook the chicken, I usually saute 3-4 tablespoons of chopped onion in some oil until tender (over medium-high heat) and then add the seasoned chicken.  Form a single layer as much as possible and let the first side cook through all the way, then flipping and briefly cooking the second side.  When done, add the chicken to a bowl and cover with foil until serving. 
• For the guacamole, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, and the juice of 1 lime to a bowl.  Combine with the flesh of two ripe avocados.  Taste for seasoning.  I added another pinch of salt and another squeeze of lime to this batch.  (I usually crush the chopped onion with the back of fork to mimic a molcajete and release some additional oils.)
• I recommend half-assembling the tacos for your family and friends, i.e. crisping them up on a comal or skillet before serving.  First, put the chicken, guacamole, and salsa on the table in serving bowls.  Then add 4-5 corn tortillas to the comal or skillet over mediumish heat (or as many as you can fit).  Add a layer of refried beans, cheese, and rice to each tortilla.  Cook until the cheese is melted or the bottom of the tortilla is turning golden brown, approx. 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately and let your peeps add the chicken, guacamole, and salsa themselves.