Rick Bayless, Top Chef master and restaurateur, is well known for taking authentic Mexican cuisine and making it his own — fresh, fun and modern. In honor of this incredible chef’s birthday which just unfolded on November 23, I took a stab at recreating one his classics, Sopa Azteca.
I was cooking for a crowd over the weekend, so I wanted a dish that was easy to serve and sure to please a whole range of tastes. Tortilla soup was an easy pick. With my list in hand, I headed to the grocery store to stock up on fresh ingredients.
I altered the original recipe only slightly by forgoing the epazote sprig and using a fully cooked rotisserie chicken rather than preparing my own chicken breast. Using a rotisserie saves time and can add really great flavor. I picked up a just-roasted herb chicken from Whole Foods, and spent the same as I would have for some boneless chicken breast.
The prep work for this soup was fairly simple. Pureeing the vegetables was time consuming because I only have a small food processor to work with, but it was well worth the effort. I let my soup simmer on low heat for longer than the recipe calls for; however, I think it made the soup even more flavorful by the time the last guest arrived and I was ready to dish out a few hearty helpings.
The soup was a success, and everyone loved the interesting flavors and textures present in the dish. We even heated up a few bowls after returning from the bar later that night — what a delicious late night snack! This is a must-try for soup junkies, lovers of Mexican cuisine (how could you not?), and people who like tasty food. Enjoy!
Sopa Azteca
Ingredients
- 1 large dried pasilla (negro) chile, stemmed and seeded
- One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 large epazote sprig, if you have one
- 4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar
- A generous 4 cups (about 6 ounces) roughly broken tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraîche for garnish
- 1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges, for serving
Method
Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)
Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.
Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).
Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema. Pass the lime separately.
Photo credit: Chelsea Sproul
