Green Chili Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
• 4 chicken breasts, bone in with skin
• 3 poblano chilies, seeded and roughly cut
• 3 ancho chilies, seeded and roughly cut
• 3 jalepeno chilies, seeded and roughly cut
• 1 white onion, roughly cut
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
• 8 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken stock
• 1 (14.5 - ounce) can white hominy, (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

• Serve With:

• Baked tortilla strips (cut the tortilla into 3rds then into thin strips and bake in the oven at 350º F for about 10 minutes)
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• I avocado diced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes, cut into quarters

Method

Step 1

Heat the oil until hot, but not smoking, in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Generously season the chicken breast with salt and pepper then place in the hot oil, skin side down. Leave to brown, about 5 minutes. Then turn and brown the other side, about 3 minutes. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. When cool, remove the skin.

Step 2

Meanwhile, put the chilies and onion (in batches) into the work bowl of a food processor. Roughly chop, do not pulverize, with on/off pulses (about 7 or 8). After you take the chicken out of the pot, lower the heat and add the chopped chilies and onion, stir, then cover and allow to sweat over low heat, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Add the cumin and oregano, some salt and pepper, then add the chicken stock. Put the chicken breasts back into the pot, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the chicken breast and allow to cool. Add the hominy to the pot and simmer another 10 minutes.

Step 5

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred as much meat as you want in the soup (I used only 3 - save what you don't use for another use) and add back to the pot. Simmer until hot.

Step 6

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your toppings of choice, and squeezing lime juice into it as desired.