Chicken Sopa de Tortilla

📝 Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (about 125 g each)
• 1 brown onion (about 120 g) + 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil (1 for the soup, 1 for the tortillas)
• 2 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp smoked paprika + ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 chicken stock cube + 1 L hot water
• 1 tin black beans (240 g drained)
• 4 corn tortillas (about 40 g each)
• 1 avocado (about 200 g each)
• 60 g grated cheddar
• 1 lime + 15 g fresh coriander
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large saucepan with lid
• Frying pan
• Colander
• 2 forks
• Cutting board and knife

📖 Steps

1. Slice the onion and chop the garlic. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 min, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper, then stir for 1 min without letting it burn.
2. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3 min, stirring, until they start to break down. Add the stock (the cube crumbled into 1 L hot water) and bring to the boil.
3. Lower the whole chicken breasts into the broth, reduce to a low heat, cover and poach for 15 min at a gentle simmer: a rolling boil would dry the meat out. The chicken is cooked when it is white all the way through.
4. Meanwhile, cut the tortillas in half, then into 1 cm strips. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and fry the strips for 4 to 5 min, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
5. Lift the chicken out onto a plate and shred it with two forks, pulling along the grain. Rinse and drain the black beans in the colander.
6. Return the shredded chicken to the soup with the black beans and simmer for 5 min over a low heat. Squeeze the lime and add the juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
7. While the soup is simmering, finely chop the coriander. Only now halve the avocado, remove the stone and dice it: cut too early, it turns brown on contact with the air.
8. Divide half the tortilla strips between the bowls and pour the piping-hot soup over them. Top with diced avocado, cheddar and coriander, then add the remaining strips for crunch. Serve immediately, before they go soft.