Steps in Preparation

02:40 – Preparing Chicken & Chicos Soup
14:40 – Preparing Corn & Poblano Soup
39:18 – Preparing Tortilla Soup
01:07:58 – Plating The Meal

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Soup Season with Chef Allen Smith

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Let the Santa Fe School of Cooking help keep you warm this winter with some of our favorite Southwest influenced soups from our kitchen! You will learn to prepare a Roasted Corn & Poblano Soup, Smooth & Silky Tortilla Soup and a Green Chile Chicken & Chico Stew.

Santa Fe School of Cooking Grill, New Mexican Red Chile Powder, Coriander, Mexican Oregano, Chicos, poblano peppers, roasted corn, onions, garlic, butter, masa harina or all-purpose flour, stock, salt, white wine, cilantro, crème or heavy cream or sour cream, hot sauce, olive or grape seed oil, kosher salt, Roma tomatoes, green chiles, red bell pepper, tortillas, chicken stock, vegetable oil, yellow onion, roasted chicken, lime

Green Chile Chicken and Chicos Stew† - Serves 6-8

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut into small dice
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
  • 3 to 4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 cups chicos, soaked overnight
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted New Mexico green chiles
  • 1 roasted chicken, skinned and deboned, meat shredded by hand
  • 3/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges for garnish

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot, add onions and dried oregano. Sauté until onions become translucent, add the garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant. Add the shredded chicken, stir to combine, and warm through.
  2. Add the soaked chicos and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper and simmer until chicos are tender, about 45 minutes.
  3. Add roasted green chile and heat through. Adjust flavors to taste. Serve in warm bowls garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

† Chicos is corn that has been partially shucked, roasted on the cob and dried. This results in a chewy kernel. Traditionally, roasting takes place in an horno oven, which are beehive-shaped adobe ovens, at a very high temperature. The coals and ash of the fire are removed and the cobs are thrown in with a small amount of water to produce steam. The corn will roast for 12 hours, removed from the ovens and allowed to dry on racks. After about 7 days, the kernels are removed.

Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup - Serves 8 to 10

  • 4 to 5 poblano peppers
  • 3 cups roasted corn
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons masa harina or all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup oven-roasted corn (for garnish)
  • Finely chopped cilantro stems
  • Crema, or heavy cream or sour cream
  • Hot sauce

  1. Rinse the poblano peppers and roast on a Santa Fe School of Cooking Grill. Roast until thoroughly charred, turning with tongs to get all sides.
  2. Add 3 Tablespoons of butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Chop the onion, add to the saucepan, and sauté until golden. Mince the garlic cloves, add to the onion and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add 3 Tablespoons of masa harina or flour to the onion mixture and mix well. Add the stock along with 1 teaspoon salt, stir and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Once the poblanos have cooled, remove as much of the skin as possible, de-stem and de-seed. Roughly chop the poblanos and add to the saucepan/onion mixture along with 3 cups of the roasted corn. Cook until everything is at a uniform temperature and then combine in a blender.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes; salt to taste.
  5. Serve immediately, adding the garnish of cilantro stems, crema and hot sauce, and roasted corn. Serve in hot soup bowls.

Smooth Silky Tortilla Soup - Serves 6

  • 1/2 large white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons olive/grape seed oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon red chile powder
  • 1 Tablespoon chipotle powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted ground coriander
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded
  • 2 green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded
  • 4 tortillas, cut into strips and sautéed in oil
  • 1 quart chicken stock

  1. Heat oil in a stock pot over medium flame. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, red chile, coriander, salt, tomatoes, green chiles, and red bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock.
  2. Heat oil in a shallow pan and sauté tortilla strips for 1 minute each. Add to soup mixture. Continue to cook soup for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Carefully blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.