Chicken Tortilla Soup

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water and chicken breast. Bring chicken to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken breast from water, set aside to cool. Skim the chicken stock and set aside. Once the chicken is cool to the touch, shred it using a fork. 

Add enchilada sauce to chicken stock, stir until well combined and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, crumble 5 tortillas and add to stock. Stir occasionally until the tortillas break down and the soup thickens, about 30 minutes. While soup simmers prepare tortilla strips.

Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Heat over medium-high heat for 6 minutes or until oil reaches 350ºF. 

Stack 4 tortillas on a cutting board. Cut the stack in half, cut the halves into 1/4-inch strips. Line a pan with paper towel and set aside. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove strips from oil and drain on paper towel lined pan, season with salt. 

Add the shredded chicken, shredded cheese and chopped cilantro to the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

Serve soup topped with tortilla strips, shredded cheese and chopped cilantro.