Quick Tortilla Soup

• large boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise to form two thin cutlets↗2
• tablespoons olive oil, separated↗1 1⁄2

  separated

• teaspoon salt↗1⁄2
• tablespoon chili powder↗1
• large onion, cut into medium dice↗1
• large garlic cloves, crushed↗4
• tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo, minced↗2
• quarts low sodium chicken broth↗2
• ounces diced tomatoes (fire-roasted, if you can find)14 1⁄2
• (15 ounce) cans black beans, not drained↗2
• ounces corn tortilla strips↗6
• lime, cut into 8ths↗1

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with salt, chili powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil to coat. Add chicken to hot pot; cook, turning only once, until impressively brown on both sides, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cut (or shred when cool enough) into bite-size pieces.

2. 2

   Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the hot empty pot; add onions and saute until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and peppers; continue to saute until fragrant about a minute longer. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Simmer partially covered and skim foam as it surfaces, to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and turn off heat.

3. 3

   Place a portion of tortilla strips in each bowl, ladle over hot soup and top as desired, letting each person squirt in a little lime.

4. 4

   grated pepper jack cheese.

5. 5

   diced avocados.

6. 6

   light sour cream.

7. 7

   chopped fresh cilantro.

8. 8

   hot red pepper sauce.

9. 9

   Make it quick: To speed cooking, heat the broth in the microwave while the onions and garlic are cooking.