Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 lb chicken breasts (2 medium)
• 20 oz crushed tomatoes
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 14 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
• 14 oz corn, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, divided (reserve 1/4 for garnish)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying tortilla strips)
• 8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry them in batches in the hot oil until crisp. Remove from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil as needed, then set aside.
2. Preheat a pot with 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and chopped jalapeño and sauté until veggies soften.
3. Add whole chicken breasts, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, crushed tomatoes, salt, 1/4 cup of cilantro, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least 25 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Add shredded chicken back to the soup and simmer another 5 minutes, then add lime juice.
5. Serve the soup with tortilla strips, pieces of avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.