Serves 6 as a first course or 4 as a main course.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 small onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 fresh jalapeño chile, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 chicken breast halves with bones and skin (about 1 pound)
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 firm-ripe california avocados
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

    DIRECTIONS

    Coarsely chop onion and garlic. Wearing rubber gloves, finely chop jalapeño. Chop cilantro. Remove and discard skin from chicken.


    In a 3-quart saucepan cook chicken with onion, garlic, jalapeño, 1 tablespoon cilantro, broth, and water at a bare simmer until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.


    Transfer chicken to a cutting board with tongs and, when cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding bones. Pour broth mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and return to cleaned pan.


    Halve tortillas and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips. In an 8-inch skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and, working in 3 batches, fry tortilla strips, stirring gently, until golden. With tongs transfer strips as fried to paper towels to drain.


    Halve, pit, and peel avocados and cut flesh into 1/2-inch cubes. Add chicken to broth and heat over moderate heat until hot. Add remaining cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and salt to taste.


    Serve soup garnished with tortilla strips.