Chicken Tortilla Soup

Preheat a large stock pot and the first 2 tablespoon portion of 4 Tbsp cooking oil to medium high temperature. Sear both sides of the 2 lbs chicken thighs or chicken breasts until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add second 1 tablespoon portion of 4 Tbsp cooking oil and cook 1 small white onion for about 1 minute before adding the 2 Tbsp garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the onion is turning translucent.

Add 4 medium tomatoes, 1 large jalapeno, 1 large red bell pepper, 3 Tbsp green chiles, and 2 stalks green onion. Stir to combine and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add 10 oz sweet corn, 15 oz black beans, and the first portion of ½ cup cilantro. Stir to combine. Then add the seasoning (2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano) and optional 1 chipotle pepper(s) in adobo sauce. Stir, then add the fresh squeezed juice from 1 medium lime and 6 cups chicken broth.

Return the chicken thighs to the stock pot, cover and reduce heat to simmer, cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the chicken thighs from the soup, and shred the pieces using a couple of forks. *Taste the soup after cooking with the chicken and add ½ tsp salt & ¼ tsp ground black pepper as needed (to taste).

Add the second portion of cilantro and return the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir to combine and turn the heat off of the soup of while you pan fry the tortilla strips.

In a medium frying pan or skillet, heat the third 1 Tbsp portion of cooking oil or tallow to medium high heat. Add the cut strips of 3 corn tortillas and brown slightly, turning frequently, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the frying pan once browned and getting crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate.

Serve with fried tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and avocado.