- 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
- 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.