You know those recipes that remind you of home? The ones in cookbooks full of notes, scribbles, and handwritten additions? This soup is one of those recipes for me. It was always one of my favorite things my mom made during the fall and winter when I was growing up. When I got married, she passed her recipe on to me, so I could have a piece of home whenever I wanted. It’s relatively simple and super delicious, so I wanted to share it with all of you! 

The “hardest” part of this recipe is all of the chopping. Seriously, everything has to be cut, sliced, diced, minced, chopped….you get it. Once everything is properly chopped, it’s simply a matter of combining it!

The fresh produce you need to cut includes: 2 large carrots, 1 large onion, 6 ribs of celery, 1 jalapeño (seeded…be careful! Don’t get the juice anywhere near your eyes!), and 4 garlic cloves. You also need to slice one pound of chicken into bite size pieces. Any of these ingredients can be adjusted to your liking.

It’s definitely easiest to measure out all of your ingredients before you start cooking the soup because it makes the process much smoother. Plus, if everything is prepared, you can pretend you’re on a cooking show where everything is neatly laid out just waiting to be grabbed and poured in the pot. I’m sorry though, this recipe doesn’t include a pre-made batch of soup sitting just offscreen. Or a hilarious onscreen persona.

First, heat 1/4 cup of oil and 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add your chicken and cook until it is no longer pink. Once the chicken is almost fully cooked, add your carrots, onion, celery, jalapeño, and garlic, and sauté for around 5 minutes.

It should already be smelling pretty delicious at this point, but it’s time to add in some spices to take it over the top. Pour in (from your pre-measured bowl!) 1 teaspoon of each of the following: Lemon pepper, chili powder, salt, and cumin. (If you’re still pretending you’re on a cooking show, feel free to grab the spices with your fingers and toss them into the pot with a little flourish. No pressure, though.) Add 1/2 cup of flour as well. This will help thicken up the soup a little. Give everything a good stir to make sure the spices are distributed evenly.

Finally, stir in 42 ounces of chicken broth and 1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes. Bring everything to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

After that hour, the scrumptious tortilla soup scent will have filled your house. Well…it fills up our 1-bedroom apartment, but at least the areas surrounding your kitchen should smell like soup? Regardless, get your preferred toppings ready. I love lots of shredded cheese with an abundance of tortilla chips to dip in my soup. My family fills their bowl with chips and pours the soup right on top. Feel free to make it your own! Live your life, you know? This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings depending on how much of a pig hungry you are.

Whip up a batch next time you’re craving some delicious, simple, homemade tortilla soup, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!