Caldo Tlalpeño

from Abby

8-10 cups chicken broth

3 whole chicken breast with skin and bones

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin lengthwise

2 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 poblano or Anaheim chile pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

2 19-ounce can chick-peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)

6 drained canned whole chipotle chilies in adobo (available at Mexican and Hispanic markets and some specialty foods shops),

salt to taste

1 avocado (preferably California) sliced into thin wedges

8 lime wedges

4 ounces asadero cheese, shredded

Preparation

In a large saucepan bring the broth just to a boil and in it poach the chicken at a bare simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, reserving the broth, and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken and reserve it, covered and chilled.

In a large heavy saucepan cook the onion in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is softened, stir in the carrots, poblano pepper, garlic,and the zucchini, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the vegetable mixture to the reserved broth with the chick-peas and potato and simmer the soup until the potatos are just tender. Salt to taste. The soup and the chicken may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Puree the chipotle peppers with 1/2 cup of the broth. Add about half of the chili mixture to the soup to taste. Save the rest as a hotsauce that can be used to spice up individual bowls of soup.

To serve

Place the shredded chicken in the bowl. Ladle hot soup over it.

Add cheese, avocado, hot sauce and lime to taste.