Chicken Avocado Lime Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced, leave seeds if you want soup spicy, omit if you don't like heat
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
• Tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, sour cream for serving, optional

Directions

1. Set a large pot over medium heat and warm 1 Tbsp olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, stir in the green onions and jalapenos; cook them until softened, about 2 minutes, slipping in the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and the chicken breasts. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the pot to a boil.
3. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and let the soup cook, giving it a stir now and then, until the chicken is cooked through, 10 – 15 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
4. Turn the burner down to warm. Lift the chicken out of the pot onto a cutting board, leave it there for 5 minutes, then pull it into shreds and slide it back into the soup.
5. Mix in the cilantro and lime juice.
6. Wait until the soup is ready to go to the table, then fold in the avocado. If you are not serving it immediately, divide the avocado among the bowls instead, using about 1/2 an avocado for each serving.
7. If you want the toppings, set out sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.
8. For thicker chicken breasts, slice them in half lengthwise through their thickness so they cook more quickly and evenly.