Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 (6 inch) Corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 8 Cups chicken stock
• 2 Chicken breasts
• 1 Large sweet onion, diced
• 4 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 Sprigs fresh oregano
• 2 Medium tomatoes, cored and diced
• 1 Chipotle Chile, minced and 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce that it is packed in
• 1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
• 1 Tsp. Chili powder
• 1 Tsp. Smoked paprika
• 3 Bay leaves
• Salt and Pepper

Garnishes:

Lime, cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro leaves

Preparation:

• Coat the tortilla strips with some oil, salt and pepper. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 10 – 12 minutes until crunchy. Cool; set aside.

• In a stock pot, on medium heat, add oil until it begins to lightly smoke; add onions, garlic, smoked paprika and chili powder. Cook until onions turn translucent and very fragrant.

• Add tomatoes, chipotle chili and adobo to pot and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes.

• Add chicken stock, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil.

• Drop the soup down to a low simmer and add chicken breast.

• Cook chicken breast for 10 – 14 minutes, depending on size, and remove from the soup. Allow to cool and shred chicken.

• Keep soup on a simmer for about 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to meld. Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Remove oregano and bay leaves before serving. • To construct the soup, add shredded chicken on bottom of the bowl / add hot soup and garnish with tortilla strips and everything else to your liking.