Charred Tomato & Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

A smoky, deeply savoury Mexican-inspired soup built on charred tomatoes, onion and garlic, spiked with chipotle and finished with a shower of crisp fried tortilla strips. It tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in under an hour.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 40.0g protein · 45.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 6 corn tortillas
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 500g ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1-2 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tsp of the sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.2 litres chicken stock
• 2 skinless chicken breasts (about 400g)
• 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, diced
• 80g feta or queso fresco, crumbled
• Small bunch coriander, chopped
• Soured cream, to serve

Method

1. Cut 4 tortillas into thin strips. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the strips in batches until golden and crisp, 1-2 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Tear the remaining 2 tortillas into rough pieces and set aside (these thicken the soup).
2. Heat a dry heavy frying pan or griddle over high heat. Char the tomatoes cut-side down, the onion quarters and the unpeeled garlic until blackened in patches, 6-8 minutes, turning. Peel the garlic.
3. Tip the charred vegetables into a blender with the chipotles, adobo sauce, torn tortilla pieces and a ladleful of stock. Blend until smooth.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cumin and oregano, stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the blended mixture. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes until thickened and darkened.
5. Add the remaining stock and 1 tsp salt, bring to a simmer, then slide in the chicken breasts. Cover and poach gently for 15 minutes, until cooked through.
6. Lift out the chicken, shred with two forks and return to the pot with the black beans. Simmer 5 minutes more, then stir in the lime juice and season to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, crumbled cheese, coriander and a spoonful of soured cream.