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Smoky Chipotle Meatball Tortilla Soup Recipe

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4 from 13 reviews

A hearty and smoky Chipotle Meatball Tortilla Soup featuring spiced ground turkey meatballs simmered in a flavorful chipotle tomato broth, garnished with crispy tortilla chips, avocado, and fresh cilantro. Perfect for a comforting and slightly spicy meal.

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
  • 1/4 cup crushed corn tortilla chips
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped (half used in meatballs)
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (half used in meatballs)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (half used in meatballs)
  • 1 tsp salt (half used in meatballs)

Soup

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped (half reserved for soup)
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (half reserved for soup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (half reserved for soup)
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt (half reserved for soup)
  • 1 28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
  • 3 tbsp chipotle adobo sauce
  • 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 3/4 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

To Serve

  • Tortilla chips
  • Avocado slices
  • Fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to prepare for baking the meatballs.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the minced jalapeño, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt. Cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant. Turn off heat and transfer half of this onion mixture to a plate and refrigerate to cool completely.
  3. Make Meatball Mixture: Once the reserved onion mixture is fully cooled, combine it in a large bowl with the ground turkey or chicken, crushed tortilla chips, and chopped cilantro. Mix thoroughly to combine the ingredients evenly.
  4. Form and Bake Meatballs: With well-oiled hands, form the mixture into 12 meatballs, about 3 tablespoons each. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. They may still be slightly pink inside, as they will finish cooking in the soup.
  5. Cook Soup Base and Simmer: While the meatballs bake, return the skillet with the remaining onion mixture to the stove. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, chopped chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chicken stock, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the baked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked through.
  6. Finish and Serve: Remove the soup from heat and stir in fresh lime juice. Serve the soup warm topped with tortilla chips, avocado slices, and extra fresh cilantro as desired.

Notes

  • Using ground turkey or chicken makes the meatballs lean and light.
  • The tortilla chips in the meatball mixture add a subtle corn flavor and help with binding.
  • Baking the meatballs first ensures they hold together well when simmered in the soup.
  • Adjust the number of chipotle peppers based on your preferred spice level.
  • Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.

Find it online: https://glowcooks.com/smoky-chipotle-meatball-tortilla-soup-recipe/