Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken (bone-in, skin-on)
• 8 cup chicken broth
• 1 white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 4 garlic, minced
• 2 dried ancho chiles, seeded and deveined
• 1 dried guajillo chile, seeded and deveined
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 2 avocado, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 0.25 cup white onion, diced
• 0.25 cup sour cream

Steps

1. Remove seeds and white membranes from the dried ancho and guajillo chiles using your fingers or a knife.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the cleaned dried chiles and let them soak in the hot water for 8 minutes until softened.
3. Drain the softened chiles and place them in a blender. Add 1 cup of fresh water and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Strain the chile mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract all the puree; discard solids.
4. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
5. Add the quartered onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften.
6. Add minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the chicken pieces and the chile puree. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
8. Using an instant-read thermometer, check that chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken pieces using tongs and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool for 5 minutes.
9. Once cooled enough to handle, discard the chicken skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
10. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot, pressing on the solids to extract flavor; discard the onion solids. Return the broth to the stovetop over medium heat.
11. Add the drained and rinsed hominy and the shredded chicken to the broth. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
12. While the soup simmers, pour vegetable oil into a small skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat. Test readiness by carefully dipping a tortilla strip into the oil; it should sizzle immediately.
13. Carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil in small batches, stirring frequently for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly season with salt.
14. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with crispy tortilla strips, sliced avocado, diced white onion, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and a dollop of sour cream on the side.