"Sweet" Uncle Mike's Tortilla Soup

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  • Serves: 2
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoon Cooking oil
  • 8 5.5" corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4" strips
  • Lime habanero sea salt
  • 1 whole (2 halves) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Sweet Paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 quart Turkey Bone Broth
  • 4 cup Crushed tomatoes (one 32-ounce jar)
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 0.25 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves (plus 3 tbsp chopped cilantro)
  • 2 tablespoon Chili pepper jam
  • 1.5 cup Corn Kernels
  • 1.5 cup Cooked Black Beans
  • 1 Avocado, cut into 1/2" dice
  • 0.25 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Creme Fraiche, for serving
  • Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
  1. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add half the tortilla strips and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips.
  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season generously with lime habanero sea salt. With heat at medium high, place chicken in the pan skin side down. Brown on all sides for a few minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to moderately low. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves, if using, one-third of the tortilla strips, and the chicken (plus any juice from the plate). Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves and discard. Remove the chicken and place on a clean plate until it is cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, blend the soup with an immersion blender to break up the tortilla strips that have been simmering away. You will see the soup thicken up immediately.
  4. Break up the chicken with your hands directly into the soup so that you get nice chunks of shredded chicken in the soup. Discard the skin and bones. Add the corn and beans. Simmer for a few more minutes until all ingredients are warmed through. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
  5. To serve, put the remaining tortilla strips in bowls, top with the cheese, and pour in the soup. Or top the soup with the tortilla trips, cheese, avocado, and creme fraiche. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if using, and serve with the lime wedges.