Pulled chicken, lime and tortilla soup

This is one of Guy Fieri's recipes, with a few added touches.  I decided to roast a whole chicken, marinaded overnight, then added black beans and corn to the soup base.  Delicious!

This recipe will serve six.

Ingredients

For marinade:
2 tbsp      olive oil
2 oz         silver tequila
2              limes, juiced
1              chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 tbsp      ground cumin
1 tbsp      chili powder
4 cloves   garlic
1 tsp        Mexican oregano (or use Italian)
1 tsp        salt
1 tsp        freshly cracked black pepper
1             whole chicken, about 3 lbs

For soup base:
1             jalapeno, roasted and minced  (or fermented jalapeño slices)
2 tbsp     vegetable oil
1             onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp       chili powder, plus some for dust tortilla strips
1 tsp       ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups    chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes
2 cups    cooked black beans
2 cups    corn (either fresh off the cob or frozen)
1            lime, zested and juiced
1            corn tortilla, cut into strips

For serving:
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8           corn tortillas, cut into strips
1 tsp     salt, plus more for seasoning
Pinch   chili powder
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp   tequila
1 tsp     freshly cracked black pepper
1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted and flesh diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions
Put the vegetable oil, tequila, lime juice, chipotle pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Put the marinade in a plastic bag along with the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

If using fresh jalapeño, preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the jalapeno and grill until the skin is well charred. Remove the jalapeno to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap to sweat the skin. When cool enough to handle, remove the stem, skin, and seeds, then finely mince.  If using fermented jalapeño, finely mince.

Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onion and saute until starting to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, minced jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture. Deglaze the pan with some of the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the remaining chicken stock, the tomatoes (crushing them with your hands) and the lime juice. Add the black beans and corn; add the tortilla strips and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

While soup base is simmering, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and put in the oven. It should take approximately one hour to roast- check the juices to make sure they run clear.   Remove from the oven, to a large plate and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred. Keep warm.

Heat the vegetable oil in a tall sided skillet to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips and fry until they are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of chili powder.

Combine the sour cream, 2 tablespoons tequila, and the remaining lime zest in a small bowl and season with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

To serve, put some of the shredded chicken in the bottom of each bowl and pour in the hot soup base. Top with diced avocado, fried tortilla strips, the tequila crema, and cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.