Chicken Tortilla Soup

Choose three chicken breasts for this tortilla soup and look for pieces that fit comfortably in your 6 quart pot. They cook whole in tomato and chicken broth, then get shredded among the corn and black beans, with chile heat and lime stirred in at the end.

I make this in a large 6 quart Dutch oven, preferably an enameled cast iron one, and start by softening the yellow onion in olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until it begins to soften. Garlic gets 30 seconds, and I don't leave it longer, before the breasts go in with cumin, chili powder, sea salt, plus black pepper. Rotel tomatoes go in next, followed by tomato sauce and broth to cover the chicken.

Once the pot reaches a boil, lower the heat and cover it for a 20-minute simmer, then pull the breasts out when they're cooked through and shred them into bite-size pieces before returning them with the remaining ingredients. I use two forks here, though a stand mixer or shredding claws work too. The broth stays warm while you shred.

Let the finished soup simmer another 5 minutes, then put out shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, and limes, keeping the toppings on the table until the bowls are filled. I slice the avocado right before it hits the table.