A good starting point to make this dish your own. I have at least 10
variations for this soup.:

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, preferably a little old and dried out
1/4 cup grapeseed oil, peanut oil, other high smoke-point oil
1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium Anaheim, poblano or jalapeño chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped
(Depending on the hotness and flavor desired. You can also mix chiles - 1
Anaheim and a half jalapeño.)
4 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (recommended Muir Glen
fire-roasted)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ripe medium avocado
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz) (or other mild, melting cheese)
Chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

1 If you are starting with somewhat old, dried out tortillas, great. If not
and you are starting with relatively fresh tortillas, put them on a baking
sheet and put them in the oven at 200°F for 10-15 minutes to dry them out a
bit. It is best to start with tortillas that don't have a lot of moisture in
them. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart
saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time,
until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.
Reserve.
2 Heat oil remaining in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil 2
minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chile; cook 2 to 3 minutes,
stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in broth,
tomatoes and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15
minutes. Add chicken; heat until hot.
3 To serve, peel and pit the avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices. Divide half of
tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with
avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro.
Serve with lime wedges

Gunner wrote:
> A good starting point to make this dish your own. I have at least 10
> variations for this soup.:
>
> 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, preferably a little old and dried out
> 1/4 cup grapeseed oil, peanut oil, other high smoke-point oil
> 1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
> 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
> 1 medium Anaheim, poblano or jalapeño chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped
> (Depending on the hotness and flavor desired. You can also mix chiles - 1
> Anaheim and a half jalapeño.)
> 4 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
> 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (recommended Muir Glen
> fire-roasted)
> 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
> 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
> 1 ripe medium avocado
> 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz) (or other mild, melting cheese)
> Chopped fresh cilantro
> 1 lime, cut into wedges
>
> 1 If you are starting with somewhat old, dried out tortillas, great. If not
> and you are starting with relatively fresh tortillas, put them on a baking
> sheet and put them in the oven at 200°F for 10-15 minutes to dry them out a
> bit. It is best to start with tortillas that don't have a lot of moisture in
> them. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart
> saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time,
> until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.
> Reserve.
> 2 Heat oil remaining in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil 2
> minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chile; cook 2 to 3 minutes,
> stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in broth,
> tomatoes and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15
> minutes. Add chicken; heat until hot.
> 3 To serve, peel and pit the avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices. Divide half of
> tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with
> avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro.
> Serve with lime wedges

Like you say, there are more recipes for Tortilla Soup than bowls to
serve it in. If there has ever been a dish that has been embraced and
altered by TexMex joints more than fajitas, this is it. Your version
is closer to the versions that I like than those that have been
thickened and cooked with the TexMex spices, such as Chile Powder. For
me, the Yucatecan versions that are closer to a chicken lime soup are
the best. My wife has told me, when I serve it, that she could eat it
every day (and we probably should). Of course, my wife will eat
anything that she can sprinkle fresh cilantro on top of... that's our
largest weekly expenditure.

Jack

Gunner wrote:

> 1/4 cup grapeseed oil, peanut oil, other high smoke-point oil

I've heard of Grape Nuts, and Grape Nut Flakes, but never "grapeseed".

I dunno, do traditional wineries press oil out of the seeds of the
grapes after barefooted Italian peasants stomp them?

Possibly "grapeseed" should actually be "rapeseed". It would probably
be easier to get rapeseed oil.

We passed by many fields of rape in full bloom as we drove through
country lanes in England. Rape has a yellow flower, adding to the
brilliance of the countryside.

The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> I've heard of Grape Nuts, and Grape Nut Flakes, but never "grapeseed".

That kinda surprises me. I usually keep grapeseed oil around, although
I seldom use it, it is mantioned in a lot of recipes I read. It is
always on the shelves with Olive oil and the various vegetable oils at
our area supermarkets.

Jack

Jack Tyler wrote:
> The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> > I've heard of Grape Nuts, and Grape Nut Flakes, but never "grapeseed".
>
> That kinda surprises me. I usually keep grapeseed oil around, although
> I seldom use it, it is mantioned in a lot of recipes I read. It is
> always on the shelves with Olive oil and the various vegetable oils at
> our area supermarkets.
>
> Jack

Same with me Jack, although I often get peanut oil instead just because
of cost.

David