Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper , seeded and diced

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 lb chicken breasts, (2 medium)
20 oz can crushed tomatoes
32 oz chicken broth
14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz can corn, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, divided (reserve 1/4 of it for garnish)
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp salt, or to taste
Homemade Tortilla Strips
1/4 cup olive oil
8 corn tortillas , (6″ tortillas)

1 large avocado, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

Tortilla Strips:
Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry them in batches in the hot oil until crisp. Remove from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil as needed then set aside.
Chicken Tortilla Soup:
Preheat a pot with oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and chopped jalapeño and sauté until veggies soften.
Add whole chicken breasts, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, crushed tomatoes, salt, ¼ cup of cilantro and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least 25 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Add shredded chicken back to the soup and simmer another 5 minutes then add lime juice.
Serve the soup with some tortilla strips, pieces of avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.