Healthy Tortilla Soup 

A pot of cooked Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup
  • 1 whole orangic or free ranged chicken
  • 3-4 Plum Tomatoes, diced 
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon thyme or 1-2 springs fresh
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder 
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1-2 springs fresh 
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun spice for chicken
  • 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon grounded pepper 
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 8-12 cups filerted or distilled water
  • 1-2 cups cheddar cheese or pepper jack or mix of the two
  • 2 tablespoons cilintaro, coasely chopped
  • 1-2 avocados
  • 1 Bag of restaurant style tortilla chips 
  • 1-2 tablespoons sherry or white wine (optional)
  1. Rinse inside and out the whole chicken with cool water.
  2. In a large stock pot, place whole chicken. With the exception of the cilintaro, add all vegetables, paste, spices, and herbs. Add wine if using.
  3. Add water until you fill the pot to the top. 
    Chicken in stock pot
    Cook chicken in large stock pot
  4. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for 3 hours. Flip the bird at the halfway point (@ 1-1/2 hours).
  5. Remove bird. Cool slightly. Cut into pieces (legs, wings, breast, etc.). 
  6. Skin and debone the breasts. Cut breast meat into cubes.
  7. In a soup bowl, add at least 1/4 cup cheese. With your clean hands, crumble a handful of tortilla chips into the bowl. Then add a handful of cubed chicken into the bottom of the bowl. 
    Tortilla chips and cheese
    Crumble tortilla chips & cheese into bowl
  8. Into the soup bowl, laddle hot soup. Top with some cilintaro. 
    Chicken soup with avocado
    Serve with avocado and cilantro
  9. Peel and slice the avocado.  Add some avocado slices to the top of the soup.
  10. When eating, stir up chips and cheese with your soup spoon.