Tortilla Soup

By minicoopercraig

Over he past 2 decades, tortilla soup has rivaled chicken soup as a comforting mainstay on major restaurant menus. Between the pulled chicken, the soothing tomato broth, and the pile of fixings, what's not to love? How about a bowl of soup with 86 percent of your day's sodium allotment? Unless you learn to enjoy it at home, that's what you're likely to get.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can (14 oz whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp chipotle pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• Juice of 2 limes
• Hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into cubes
• Chopped onion, pickled jalapenos, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro (optional)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

heat the oil in a larfe pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Transfer to a blender and add the tomatoes (with juice) and chipotle; puree until smooth.
Return to the pot and add the broth. Bring to a simmer. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Drop the breasts into the liquid whole. Poach them in the soup until cooked all the way through, about 10 minutes. Remove and slice thin just before serving.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the tortilla strips on a baking sheet and bake until lightly brown and crispy.
Season the soup with the lime juice; adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and hot sauce (if using). Divide among 4 warm bowls. Top with the chicken, tortilla strips, avocado, and as many of the other garnishes as you'd like to use.