Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 100 g onion, diced
- 100 g celery, diced
- 75 g carrot, diced
- 2 g cumin seeds
- 2 g coriander seeds
- 2 g black peppercorns
- 6 garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 cinnamon
- 1 g cayenne, powder
- 5 g salt
- 1920 ml chicken broth
Tortilla Strips
- 240 ml vegetable oil, for frying
- 4 corn tortillas, cut into 1.25cm (1/2 inch) strips
- 2 g salt
Serving
- 900 g cooked turkey meat, shredded
- 1½ avocado
- 6 scallion, chopped
- 2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 30 g cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 lime
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 499 kcal
- Protein
- 61 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 2229 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 134 mg
- Potassium
- 1197 mg
- Calcium
- 249 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 109 mg
- Phosphorus
- 654 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 187 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 57 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 108 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.73 mg
- Niacin
- 23.6 mg
- Folate
- 71 mcg
- Water
- 646 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 30ml vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, celery, and carrot for 5 minutes until softened.
Toast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute until fragrant.
Grind the toasted spices using a spice mill or mortar and pestle.
Add the ground spices, garlic, cinnamon stick, cayenne, and salt to the soup pot. Stir to combine.
Pour in 1920ml chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Maintain on very low heat.
Heat 240ml vegetable oil in a skillet until it shimmers. Fry tortilla strips for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
Remove strips with tongs and drain on paper towels. Season lightly with salt.
Place shredded turkey in a saucepan with a small amount of hot broth. Heat gently until warmed through to 74°C (165°F).
Divide turkey and avocado among bowls. Ladle hot soup over the top and garnish with tortilla strips, scallions, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime juice.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting whole spices before grinding unlocks their essential oils, dramatically enhancing their aroma and flavor. Don't skip this step!
- For the tortilla strips, ensure the oil is hot enough before frying. If it's too cool, the tortillas will absorb too much oil and become greasy, rather than crispy.
- When shredding the turkey, a fork is your best friend. For extra flavor, you can use some of the broth from the soup to moisten the turkey slightly before serving.
- The fresh garnishes are crucial for this soup's bright flavor profile. Prepare them just before serving to ensure maximum freshness and impact.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store fried tortilla strips in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the soup base and turkey only; add fresh garnishes and tortilla strips after reheating.
Reheating: Heat in a pot over medium heat until the soup reaches 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Tortilla strips are greasy and soft.
Cause: Oil temperature was too low or the pan was overcrowded.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once oil-logged; start with fresh strips.
Prevention: Ensure oil reaches approximately 180°C (350°F) before frying and work in batches.
Cultural Context
This soup draws inspiration from Mexican culinary traditions, where toasted spices, fresh chiles, and lime are fundamental to creating vibrant and complex flavors. It's reminiscent of traditional Caldo de Pollo (chicken soup) but with a distinct spicier, citrusy twist.
