Braise chicken meat	Tortilla Soup

---

Tortilla Soup

Source: Casa Gallardo Restaurants Recipe Binder, 1993

Yield: 1 serving

---

Ingredients

• 6 oz tortilla soup (see below)

• 1 oz chicken taco meat, hot (see below)

• 1/4 oz tortilla strips, corn, fried, cut 1/8 in from chip tortilla

---

Preparation

Ladle soup into hot bowl. Add chicken taco meat. Sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

---

Tortilla Soup

• 1 1/4 gal water

• 1 1/2 oz chicken base

• 2 bay leaves, whole

• 3 oz tomato paste

• 1 lb tomatoes, fresh, diced 1/2 in

• 1/2 lb onion, yellow, diced 1/2 in

• 1/2 lb carrots, diced 1/2 in

• 1/2 lb celery, diced 1/2 in

• 1/2 lb bell peppers, diced 1/2 in

• 3/4 oz garlic, granulated

• 1 Tbsp oregano, Mexican, whole dried

• 1/2 tsp pepper, ground, white

• 1 1/2 oz salt, table

• 1/2 lb zucchini, diced 1/2 in

• 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled, diced 1/2 in

Combine water, chicken base and bay leaves in a suitable sized stock pot and bring to a boil (approximately 8 minutes).

Add tomato paste, onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt and bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat and allow broth to simmer gently until the vegetables are tender (approximately 15 minutes).

Add zucchini and potatoes and return to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Yield: 1 1/2 gallons

---

Chicken Taco Meat

• 4 oz vegetable shortening

• 50 lb chicken, dark meat, thighs, cut 1 in x 1 1/2 in

• 10 oz salt, table

• 6 oz chicken base

• 3 oz garlic, granulated

• 2 oz cumin, ground

• 2 oz pepper, white, ground

• 1/4 oz oregano, Mexican, whole, dry

• 4 lb tomato paste

• 1/8 oz bay leaf, ground

• 1/2 cup chile chipotle puree

• 6 lb celery, chopped 1/4 in

• 6 lb onion, yellow, julienne 1/4 in

• 6 lb bell pepper, julienne 1/4 in

• 6 lb tomato, fresh, diced 1/2 in

Heat the shortening to a "sizzling" point in a stock pot or braising kettle. Add the dark chicken meat and "braze" stirring the meat to ensure even "braze" process (approximately 15 to 20 minutes).

Add salt, chicken base, garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, tomato paste, bay leaf and chile chipotle puree to the chicken. Mix well and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add celery, onion, bell pepper and tomato to the mixture and lower the flame to medium. Cook until "al dente" (approximately 10 minutes). Stir frequently to avoid scorching. Remove from heat.

Yield: 9 gallons (77 pounds)