Easily Add A Homemade Touch To Chicken Tortilla Soup With An Air Fryer

Chicken tortilla soup is not only comforting on a cold winter's night; it's filling, delicious, and easy to make as well. A classic chicken tortilla soup recipe features chicken breast, corn, black beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and spices. The result is a smokey, slightly spicy soup bursting with flavor. Unlike many other soups that don't have much textural variation, chicken tortilla soup usually comes with crispy tortilla strips. The strips add a much-needed crunch while also adding flavor. The soup is simple to make with store-bought ingredients. Still, you'll want to make your tortilla strips yourself.

While you can use flour tortillas to make tortilla strips, we recommend corn tortillas instead. Luckily, tortilla strips are easy to make at home with an air fryer. All you need to make air fryer tortilla strips is your favorite brand of corn tortillas. Simply slice them into thin strips and toss them in a bowl with olive oil or avocado oil. Once the strips have a generous oil coating, they go into an air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-9 minutes. The air fryer fries the tortilla strips to a crisp, golden brown without the splattering, oily mess. Don't forget a generous sprinkling of salt to bring out the flavor. 

Traditionally, tortilla soup, also known as sopa Azteca, consists of shredded chicken and a tomato-based chile broth that packs a spicy punch. Crispy tortilla strips provide a vital crunch and may even come on the side to keep the strips as crispy as possible. Depending on the type of tortilla soup you prefer, the actual broth can become thicker with the addition of corn tortillas. The tortillas break down as the soup's base of broth, chicken, and veggies stew. If you have some corn tortillas that are going stale, throwing them into soup is a great way to use them.

Masa harina, aka corn flour, is the usual main ingredient in corn tortillas. That flour makes them perfect for dissolving and adding flavor. Flour tortillas won't dissolve in the same way, resulting in a sticky, clumpy mess. If you're in a pinch for time, you can buy corn tortilla strips at the store. However, those store-bought strips may not provide the same fresh crispy texture of strips you make yourself. Your homemade tortilla strips can elevate even store-bought tortilla soups. Simply top a bowl of pre-made tortilla soup with your homemade tortilla strips and classic garnishes like sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado.