Ingredients

• Soup
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 14.5-oz. cans chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup smooth or chunky (depending on your preference) salsa


• Garnish
• 4-6 corn tortillas (for homemade tortilla strips) -OR- 1 cup broken-up packaged corn tortilla chips
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream (optional)
• avocado slices (optional)

Directions

Homemade Tortilla Strips
While the soup is cooking, slice 4-6 tortillas into 1/2-inch strips, then cut those strips into thirds. Place a few paper towels on a plate and have ready nearby. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a small saucepan on high. Once the oil is hot, add the tortilla strips and fry, gently moving around with a large slotted spoon so they don't stick together and so the oil touches all sides of strips.

As soon as strips turn a light golden brown, remove from oil with slotted spoon and place on plate with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve as garnish for soup.

Soup
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot, then add chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes on both sides or until it appears no pink is left. Remove chicken and shred into bite-size pieces. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to soup pot, then add onions, garlic and cumin. Mix well and sauté for about 3 minutes. Return chicken pieces to soup pot, then add broth, water, chicken bouillon, garbanzo beans, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa. Stir to mix well, then cover and turn heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve and top with Homemade Tortilla Strips or broken packaged tortilla chips, shredded cheeses and a dollop of sour cream (optional).