Igrew up in Houston, Texas, and there were exactly two soups I would eat when I was sick. The first was Vietnamese chicken phở, and the second was tortilla soup. No other soup would do (sorry, classic chicken noodle)! Luckily for me, both were readily available to heal whatever was ailing me (you can reliably find tortilla soup on most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant menus in the city).
While tortilla soup, or sopa de tortilla, is a traditional Mexican soup with origins in Mexico City, you’ll also find it as a standard on Tex-Mex restaurant menus. Tortilla soup is like chicken soup, but with the flavor cranked WAY up. Aromatics like poblano peppers and cilantro stems, and spices like ancho chili powder and cumin add a depth of flavor to the tomato-y broth that just can’t be matched. And that’s before you add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and toppings like gooey cheese and creamy avocado chunks.