Best Crispy Tortilla Strips Recipes

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP WITH CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook until very tender and browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Add the coriander and cumin and cook until the spices have toasted slightly and become fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, then scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender. Add the tomatoes, chipotle, the torn tortillas, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Pour the soup back into the pot and stir in the remaining 3 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water and the shredded chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and gently simmer until the chicken is very tender and the soup has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of 2 inches. Place over medium heat and heat to 365 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips, in two batches, and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
• Add the lime juice to the soup, then season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, top with the crispy tortilla strips, reserved diced onion, cilantro, avocado and queso fresco. Serve with remaining lime wedges.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH AVOCADO AND CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Coarsely chop onion and garlic. Wearing rubber gloves, finely chop jalapeño. Chop cilantro. Remove and discard skin from chicken.
• In a 3-quart saucepan cook chicken with onion, garlic, jalapeño, 1 tablespoon cilantro, broth, and water at a bare simmer until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board with tongs and, when cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding bones. Pour broth mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and return to cleaned pan.
• Halve tortillas and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips. In an 8-inch skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and, working in 3 batches, fry tortilla strips, stirring gently, until golden. With tongs transfer strips as fried to paper towels to drain.
• Halve, pit, and peel avocados and cut flesh into 1/2-inch cubes. Add chicken to broth and heat over moderate heat until hot. Add remaining cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and salt to taste.
• Serve soup garnished with tortilla strips.

TURKEY, BEAN AND QUINOA CHILI WITH CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a medium saucepan filled two-thirds full of water to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and a small handful of salt. Adjust the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Drain and return the quinoa to the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the oil until shimmering. Add the turkey and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is almost cooked through and starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, minced jalapeño, garlic and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 6 to 8 minutes; reduce the heat if the ingredients brown too quickly.
• Meanwhile, toss the tortilla strips with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the strips in an even layer and bake until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and let cool.
• Add the chili powder and cumin to the saucepan with the turkey and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chickpeas and cooked quinoa and simmer until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste the chili and season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the chili into bowls and top with the crispy tortilla strips, sliced jalapeño, Parmesan and cilantro.

CORN AND CRAB SOUP WITH CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Break corn cobs in half and place in large pot. Add chicken broth, 1 cup water, cilantro stems, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes. Strain liquid into 4-cup measuring cup; discard solids in strainer. Add enough additional water to corn broth to measure 4 cups.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion; saut until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, ancho chile powder, and lime peel; stir 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Reserve 1/3 cup crabmeat for garnish. Combine 2 cups corn kernels and 1 cup corn broth in blender; puree until almost smooth. Add to saucepan with onion mixture. Add remaining 3 cups corn broth and 1 1/2 cups corn kernels; bring to simmer. Add remaining crabmeat, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with some of reserved crabmeat. Sprinkle each with remaining chopped cilantro leaves and Crispy Tortilla Strips and serve.

CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Pour enough vegetable oil into medium skillet to reach depth of 3/4 inch. Heat oil over medium heat to 350°F. Add 1/4 of tortilla strips to skillet and cook until crisp and light golden, about 45 seconds. Using tongs or slotted spoon, transfer tortilla strips to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with coarse salt and ancho chile powder. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips in 3 batches. Cool.
• Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature.

CONFETTI SALAD WITH CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss tortilla slices with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing; place in single layer on baking sheet.
• Bake 5 to 8 min. or until crisp and lightly browned; cool.
• Toss greens with tortilla strips, chicken, apples, red peppers and remaining 1/3 cup dressing. Serve immediately.

MEXICANA MEATLOAF WITH CILANTRO PESTO AND CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• For the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together the panko and milk and set aside.
• Place the brisket and sirloin on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. (This will make grinding cleaner and easier.) Grind the meat in a food processor or bench top grinder, following manufacturer's instructions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the ground beef until ready to use.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, poblano and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent. Add the cumin, oregano and ancho powder and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the ground beef, the chorizo, the milk-soaked panko, and the egg, black beans and corn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until just combined (don't overwork the meat). Transfer the meatloaf mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into a free-form loaf. Bake until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley, pepitas, cumin, garlic and some salt and pepper. Pulse to a coarse paste; then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while pulsing. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and fold in the cotija and Parmesan. Set aside.
• When the meatloaf is done, remove it from the oven and immediately spread some of the pesto over the top. Tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• For the tortilla strips: Fill a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven with 2 inches of oil, and heat the oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips until golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
• To serve: Cut the meatloaf into thick slices. Top with a dollop of cilantro pesto and some crispy tortilla strips. Serve.

AVOCADOS WITH STRAWBERRY SALSA AND CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Steps:

• Make salsa:
• Wearing rubber gloves, remove stems, seeds, and ribs from chili and chop fine.
• In a bowl stir together chili and remaining salsa ingredients. Salsa may be made several hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Stack tortillas and cut them in half. Cut stacks crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips and in a heavy skillet heat 1/2 inch oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Working in three batches, fry tortilla strips until crisp and golden, about 30 seconds, and with a slotted spoon transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle fried tortilla strips with salt to taste.
• Halve avocados, removing pits, and peel. Slice each half lengthwise into 6 wedges and fan onto 4 salad plates.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup strawberry salsa over each avocado fan and mound crispy tortilla strips alongside.