Okay, here’s my attempt at recreating the Max & Erma’s Tortilla Soup, shared in a casual, blog-style format, with plenty of “doing” words and simple language:
Alright, so I’ve been craving this tortilla soup from Max & Erma’s forever. I used to go there all the time, and that soup was my jam. Since I can’t get it where I am, I decided, “You know what? I’m gonna try and make this myself!”
First, I grabbed a big ol’ pot. This isn’t a tiny soup situation, folks. We’re going for the gold here.
Then, I chopped up some onions and a few cloves of garlic. I’m not super precise with this stuff, just a rough chop is fine. I tossed those into the pot with some olive oil and let them cook until they got soft and smelled amazing.
Making Base
Next, I added in a bunch of chicken broth. You can use the store-bought stuff, or if you’re feeling fancy, make your own. I also threw in a can of diced tomatoes, undrained – gotta get all that juicy goodness.
Now for the spices! I sprinkled in some chili powder, cumin, and a little bit of smoked paprika. I like things a little smoky, so I went a bit heavy on that. Don’t forget some salt and pepper, of course.
Add Chicken
- Simmered some chicken breasts separately and shreaded.
I let that whole mixture simmer for a while, maybe 20-30 minutes, just to let all the flavors blend together. The longer it simmers, the better it gets, really.
Almost ready
Once the soup had simmered and the chicken was ready, I stirred the shredded chicken into the big pot. Oh, and I almost forgot! I added a can of corn, drained this time. You could also use frozen corn, whatever you’ve got.
The most important part, the tortilla strips! I took some corn tortillas and cut them into strips. Then, I fried them up in a separate pan with some oil until they were nice and crispy. You could bake them too, if you want to be a little healthier, but I like the fried crunch.
Finally, I ladled the soup into bowls and topped it with a generous handful of those crispy tortilla strips, some shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. If you’re feeling extra, a little avocado would be awesome too.
And there you have it! My attempt at the Max & Erma’s Tortilla Soup. It might not be exactly the same, but it’s pretty darn close, and it definitely hit the spot. My family loved it, and it brought back some great memories. Now, if I can just find it in me to make this my weekly soup, I’d be in great shape!
