Sopa Azteca (Mexican Chicken soup)

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I first had this soup at a restaurant in town and I loved it!  When I looked it up to see what was in it and found that many foods with rice in them are referred to as Azteca.  That was about 15 years ago.  Now it seems Sopa Azteca is associated with the tortillas -aka – Mexican Tortilla soup.  Here is a recipe that is closer to the soup that I ate for the first time (and you do it in the crock pot!)

Ingredients needed for this sopa

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tablespoon chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• 1 16 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 3 ½ cups chicken stock (see note)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup dry rice (optional)

Garnishes:

• 1 dozen corn tortillas (and about 1/4 cup oil to fry them; I like corn oil for this)
• sour cream (or Mexican Crema Fresca)
• Mexican Queso Fresco cheese
• cilantro, chopped
• green onion, chopped
• fresh jalapeño pepper, diced
• avocado, chopped
• Lime Wedges
• Chopped chicharron – but don’t use the ones in the bag.  Go to a Mexican market and get some freshly cooked chicharron.  My preference is to leave them out if I can’t get these.

Making the Soup 

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

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Place the chicken and the rest of the soup ingredients, except the rice, in a crock pot.  Cook on low and cook for 8-9 hours.  If you are putting the rice in, add it during the last two hours.

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Put the oil in a small, deep pan and heat on medium-high.  Cut 5 or 6 tortillas into small strips while the oil is heating.

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Cook the strips until they are a golden brown.  Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

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Chop the garnishes.

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Fill a bowl with the soup and let each person add the garnishes they want.

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Serve with warm tortillas on the side.

Serves 4-6

© Copyright 2015 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 6 votes

Print ^[7]

Sopa Azteca

A delicious Mexican soup made in the crockpot.

Course: Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: Mexican, soup

Keyword: avocado, chicken, chipotle, corn tortilla, crema, fire roasted tomatoes, green onion

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tablespoon chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 16oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 3-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground cumin¼ cup dry rice (optional)
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup raw rice

Garnishes

• 1 doz corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup corn oil for frying
• crumbled Mexican queso fresco cheese
• Mexican crema
• cilantro
• green onion, chopped
• fresh jalapeño pepper, diced
• avocado, chopped
• lime, cut into wedges
• Mexican chicharones, chopped (not the bagged)

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

2. Place the chicken and the rest of the soup ingredients, except the rice, in a crock pot.  Cook on low and cook for 8-9 hours. 

3. Add it during the last two hours.

4. Put the oil in a small, deep pan and heat on medium-high.  Cut 5 or 6 tortillas into small strips while the oil is heating.

5. Cook the strips until they are a golden brown.  Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

6. Chop the garnishes.

7. Fill a bowl with the soup and let each person add the garnishes they want.

8. Serve with warm tortillas on the side.

Recipe Notes

 

Fin real Chicharron at a Mexican market and get some freshly cooked.

© Copyright 2015 The Lazy Gastronome

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